New colleague
by Bonasena
Summary: a familiar face becomes new member of the team, but not everyone is happy about the new member. several of the team members has a personal issue with the new member, from the past.
1. Chapter 1 - new team member

New colleague

 _Just a little something I have been working on. I have brought in my favorite character and the two character in the show that I really don't like. I never liked Quinn Shelby and whenever I watch the episodes with her I feel like the team members really don't like her either so I have played with what would happen if she came to work at the lab._

Thursday had been a long day for Mac in the lab. Chief Sinclair had demanded him to hire one particular applicant for the job as an entomologist. Mac knows that this CSI is one of the best. He had been working with her long time ago. She used to be a good friend of his, back when he started in the crime lab.

Now mac pulls up in front of his building. He takes a minute just to relax and clear his mind before he walks into the building. Standing in the elevator his mind keeps going back to the conversation he had with Sinclair earlier. There was a lot of great applicants but Sinclair wants him to pick one with FBI-experience. Mac knows one with FBI-experience looks great in the press but Mac's concern was on the resolves in the lab.[mj.941] Mac comes into the apartment, he is now sharing with his fiancé Christine. It is his old apartment that she has moved into. He takes off his coat and his shoes and enters the living room. There is a wonderful smell in the apartment. he walks to the kitchen where Christine is making dinner. He stands behind her and kisses her on the neck.

"hey, sweetie." She says while she is stirring in some sort of sauce.

"it looks great." He comments and then turns around to grab a beer from the fridges. She turns around.

"hey. the dinner is ready in five minutes." She looks at him with an accusing look. He looks down at the beer.

"I need it. Long day." He explains. She can clearly see he had a long day. He looks tired. She nods in accept.

"okay. Only today then." She turns around and continues with the food. "take one for me too." He smiles and takes one out for her too.

After dinner, he goes straight to his computer to finish some paperwork. Christine is sitting and watching TV. She looks over at Mac occasionally. She can see that he is not doing any work. He is clearly not focused on work. She turns off the sound of the TV and walks over to him and wraps her arms around him from behind.

"you are not getting much work done tonight." He runs his fingers over his forehead.

"no, I can't focus."

She gives him a kiss on the top of his head.

"is it the case?" mac shakes his head and gets up from his chair.

"no politics." He signs and takes the empty beer bottle from the table and disappears out to the kitchen. Christine knows Mac well enough to know, that is the part of his job that he hates the most. Mac comes back into the living room with a glass in his hand. He walks over to the couch and sits down. Christine is just watching him while he is trying to find something on the TV. After he zaps by five of his favorite channels, Christine walks over to him. Take the remote away from him and sit down on his lap. She looks straight into his eyes.

"tell me what is going on," she orders. Mac knows he can escape from this. She can see right through him. one of the things that no one had done since Claire. She could look right through him too. He loves that about her, but sometimes it also bothers him.

"is it that obvious?" she nods. He looks down for a second.

"it is the new CSI I have to hire. It is an entomologist. There is a lot of great applicants but the chief has one that he wants me to hire because she has FBI-experiences."

Christine gets off Mac and places herself next to him.

"is that a bad thing?" he smiles and shakes his head.

"no, it's not. And normally I would have hired her, but…" he looks down and her hands. He takes her hand and touches her engagement ring. She is waiting for him to continue.

"I have worked with her before. She was my first colleague at the New York crime lab when I started."

"so why don't you want to hire her? If you already know her well?"

"because… she doesn't always know the line for personal spaces." Christine looks surprised but she doesn't say anything, waiting for Mac to continue.

"after I had worked in the lab for 6 months. My team started to ask me why they had never met my wife. So, one time. we had just solved a big case, so we decided to go for a beer and celebrate and I asked Claire to come along. Everything was fine until Claire realized that one of my employees was flirting with me. According to Claire, it was pretty obvious."

Christine look surprised. "so, this woman that your boss wants you to hire now has been hitting on you before in front of Claire?" Mac nods. Christine looks surprised. "wow."

"that night was the only time I ever saw Claire showing jealousy." Christine nods. She remembers Claire as a very tolerant person too. Mac looks over at Christine with a teasing smile.

"she didn't even get jealous when you got drunk and hit on me." Christine looks over at him and pretends to be very offended.

"I never hit on you." She hits him with a pillow. Mac nods. "year you did, when you got drunk." He says with a big teasing smile. She gets up from the sofa and walks toward the kitchen while she is saying. "Why would I hit on you?"

Mac chuckles and then turn on the TV.

Mac is standing in the kitchen and drinking his coffee. He is wearing his usual suit and tie. He is looking out the window on the gray sky. Christine sneaks up behind him and lean her head against the back of his shoulder and wraps her arms around him.

"morning." He says. She doesn't say anything but just hugging him tight. He turns around and places his coffee cup on the table and wraps his arms around her.

"morning sunshine." He says. She looks up at him. She looks very tired. "why are you up so early?"

"couldn't sleep." She takes his coffee cup from the table and takes a sip. But Mac can see on her face that it is way too strong for her.

"what is that? Did you forget to put water in it?" mac laughs.

"I didn't want to wake you up to make great coffee for me so I had to try it myself."

She looks at him with a serious look. "that didn't go well." She throughout his coffee and starts making coffee for both of them. Mac steps aside and watching her make the coffee. When they are waiting for the coffee machine Christine stands against the table across from Mac who is leaning against the wall.

"so are you going to hire her?"

Mac looks down. "I don't know. If I tell the chief the truth, he will ask me why I didn't rapport it back then."

"why didn't you?"

He looks down for a moment.

"because it would ruin her career and even though I choose another one to become my assistant supervisor I didn't want to ruin her career and she didn't step over the line until she had quit."

Christine look serious at him. "what do you mean with stepped over the line? You had an affair with her?"

Mac looks very surprised by that question. "no. you think that about me?"

Christine realizes she stepped over the line. She steps closer to Mac and wraps her arms around his neck and looks straight into his eyes.

"sorry, I don't think that." She kisses him on the lips but he doesn't respond. She knows he got offend by that question. "sorry Mac. I know you would never do that to anyone and especially not Claire."

Mac looks out the window. "she kissed me. I didn't kiss her." Mac doesn't look at her while he is talking. She looks at him. "I believe that Mac," she says with a soft voice. "she quit when I hired Stella Bonasera as my assistant supervisor instead of her. Stella was in narcotics and she had been passed a promotion before. She was really great. That was why I choose her instead of Quinn. Quinn got very upset and quiet. After that, we went for a beer as a goodbye. That was when she kissed me." He looks at her again.

"I love you and I would never cheat on you." He says. She nods. "I know that." They get into a passionate kiss that ends when the coffee is done. Christine walks over and finishes the coffee. While she has her back to him she says. "you can tell her she will get into serious trouble if she gets too close to my fiancée." Mac chuckles. Christine turns around and hands him the coffee.

"she will." She says with a serious look and then with a smile. Mac nods. "I know." He takes a sip of his coffee.

"you do know that this is one of the main reason I love you." She looks at him with a smile and the take a step closer to him. "what is the other reasons, detective?" she looks up at him with a daring look.

"sorry babe. We don't have time for that now." He says with a teasing tone.

She pretends to be offended. "pervert." She says and walks over and takes her coffee. Mac just smiles without saying anything.

Mac arrives in his office 5 minutes late. He rushes into his office and takes off his coat.

" hi Mac." he gets surprised by the familiar female voice. He turns around and sees the redhead woman that he knows too well.

"hey, Quinn. What are you doing here?" he asks. he has difficulty hiding his surprised and slide disappointment. Quinn Shelby stands up. She walks closer to Mac and invades his personal space. Mac is aware of it and takes a step back and takes a seat behind his desk to make the situation more formal. Quinn notices it and stays stood in front of his desk.

"I got a call from chief Sinclair. He said you want to talk to me."

Mac looks through the pile of applications to find hers. She notices that hers isn't on the top of the pile so Mac clearly didn't plan this meeting himself. She has known Mac for years and he is always well prepared for everything. Mac finally finds her application. While he looks through it, she notices there is to applications on the other side of the desk. On has a yellow posted note on it that says _interview._ There is no posted note on her application. After a minute Mac puts down her application.

"listen, Mac." she takes a seat in front of the desk." I know I'm not your choice. You don't want to hire me. you just have to have this interview with me because the chief tells you to." Mac looks down. A little embarrassed that she looks right through him, as she has always done. He nods.

"yes you are right. You are not my first priority for this position."

Quinn looks down. "I'm sorry Mac. I should have known that if you want to have an interview with me you would have contacted me yourself." Quinn stands up and is about to leave the office when chief Sinclair comes on.

"oh, I see you have already got the good news detective Shelby." Both Mac and Quinn Shelby look confused.

"I want to give you the good news but I see detective Taylor already informed you that you got the job."

Sinclair makes his way all the way into the office.

"congratulations with your new job detective Shelby." He shakes her hands. She looks very confused over at Mac, whose look is confused mixed with very angry. In the same moment, Jo comes into the office.

"hey Mac…" she stops when she sees Sinclair and Quinn Shelby.

"oh, detective Danville. Could you please show detective Shelby around in the lab? She is the new detective on the team." Sinclair explains. Jo look confused at Mac and the at Sinclair. Mac's facial expression is clueless. So Jo just follows Sinclairs request.

"yes of cause. Welcome onboard. I'm Jo Danville." The leave the office together. Mac stands up from his desk.

"what the hell was that?" Sinclair hurry to close the door before Macs yelling drags too much attention. "when did you become the one who sets the team?"

"keep your voice down detective, and think about who you are talking to."

Mac doesn't care about who he is talking to right now.

"last time I checked I was still the one how was the leader of this team." He yells. It has dragged some attention outside the office. a few lab Tec's is stopped working and listing to the argument.

"yes you are, but detective Danville told me that you want to hire a young grad from Columbia university instead of an experienced former FBI-agent. for the reminder, you trained agent Shelby yourself as far as I'm informed."

Mac looks down. He knows that Sinclair is right, as much as he hates to admitted.

"yes, sir. You are right, but the reason why I want to hire a young grad instead of Shelby is because I'm focused on resolve here in the lab that can lead to a conviction of a criminal, more then I'm focused on what looks good in the press or on the political stage."

Sinclair look over at Mac. he is hoping to see some sort of regrade of what Mac just said, but Mac shows no sign of hesitation or regrade. He means exactly what he just said. Sinclair has been working with Mac for years now and he knows that Mac says exactly what he means in situations like this one.

"okay detective. Shelby is on your team for at least 1 month. End of discussion." Sinclair leaves the office and heads straight to the elevator. As soon as Sinclair look over at the hope of Lab Tec's watching, the hope disappears.

Danny walks by the many lab Tec's and into Mac's office. Mac is sitting on the corner of his desk and rubbing his eyes with his fingertips. Danny is looking down at a rapport while he is entering the office.

"hey, Mac I need your…"

"what now?" Mac snaps and then look up and realize it is Danny. Danny just looks surprised.

"what's going on?" Danny looks back at the many lab Tec's and he also gets a look of Sinclair before the elevator doors close.

"was that Sinclair?"

Mac nods and gets up from his desk and walks back to his chair.

"yes… it was." Danny can clearly hear the frustration in his boss' voice. He has worked for Mac for many years and knows that voice way too well. Properly because he has cost it too many times before he got married to Lindsay.

"what was he doing here?" Danny asks.

"the new entomologist," Mac answered.

"you are not going to take his recommended applicant, right?

"I have no choice. At least not within the next month." Danny smiles by the sound of that.

"so you can fire her in a month?"

Mac nods. "hypothetical speaking. Yeah." Danny doesn't like the sound of that.

"but… in reality. Can't you? Can't you use the sexual harassment as a reason?" Mac looks at him for clarification. "I mean she was constantly hitting on you when she was working here and last time doing the cabbie killer case she was hitting on you again. she had enough to get Lindsay fired but she didn't because she didn't want to get on your bad side because she has an obvious crush on you."

Mac starts laughing and shakes his head when he stands up and adjusts his firearm. "no she doesn't Danny." Mac says but he knows Danny is right.

Danny and Mac leave the office together.

"I'll bet before we go home today Jo will tell you that," Danny says with a big grin on his face.

"go solve some crimes, Messer." Mac gives Danny a pad on the shoulder and Danny leaves Mac with a smile.

* * *

[mj.941]


	2. Chapter 2 - team player

Chapter 2 – team player

Jo shows Quinn Shelby around in the lab while they are small talking. Well… it is mostly Jo who is talking. They walk by the AV-lab where Adam is very on some surveillance form a rubbery.

"so Adam is CSI level 1 in training. he is our former AV-tech. he is a little wired but he is really good when he stays focused. He need a little help to that sometimes. But you will get use to that."

Quinn is listening very observant to Jo while they are walking around in the lab. They come in to the tracelab where Lindsay is working.

"and this is Lindsay. Lindsay this is…"

"is the lab being inspected again?" Lindsay interrupts Jo. Jo look confused.

"no. this is detective Quinn Shelby. Our new entomologist." Jo introduce with a smile. Lindsay doesn't seem happy about the news.

"welcome" Lindsay says but doesn't sound very convincing and then walks away with the processed evidence.

"she is normally in a better mood." Jo try to make the situation better.

About 10 am Mac is sitting in his office and doing the stak of paperwork he did get to do yesterday, when jo comes in to his office.

"Mac." Jo sit down infront of his desk. "what is going on?" Mac look up at her with a confused look. Jo clarifies. "i have never seen Danny, Lindsay, Adam or Hawkes behaive like the way they did when I introdused them to detectiv Quinn. It was very uncomfortable situation, Mac."

Mac nodds. He kind exspected that would happen.

"Quinn worked here in the lab 15 years ago. She quit after I choose another one to become my assistend supervisor." Jo look surprised.

"so why did you hire her now?"

Mac look down. He hate this situation. "because the chief demanded it."

Jo nods in understanding. She stands up and is about to leave the office. She turns around and look at Mac.

"she is nice, Mac. I like her."

Then Jo leaves the office.

At lunch Jo invites Quinn for lunch to make a peach offering. They meet at a diner near the lab. Jo is already there when Quinn arrives. Quinn takes a seat across from Jo.

"thanks for coming." Jo says with a smile.

"thanks for the invitation. Is anyone else going to join us?"

"no it is just the two of us. I thought I would give you a little nicer welcome then you got from the rest of the team." Jo gives her an apologizing smile.

The servant comes and they both order. There is silence until there drinks arrive. Jo has water with ice and Quinn has water with lemon and ice. Jo takes a sip of her water before she starts talking.

"this team is like a very close family. They don't strangers to come in. It takes some time to get invited in to the family, but when you are in. They never leave you behind. Mac still follows "never leave a man behind." And he never does."

Quinn nods and take a sip of her water.

"I was an inspector before I joined the FBI. Six years ago I was inspecting this lab. By nature, people doesn't like to be inspected so I wasn't exactly wanted in the lab." Quinn takes a sip of her water before she continues. "when I discovered detective Monroe leave evidence unprotected after a personal conversation with detective Messer, I could have got her fired. But I didn't."

Jo smiles. "properly married problems." Jo says with a smile Quinn look confused. "married?" jo nods. "detective Monroe and detective Messer was married?"

"are Married." Jo corrects with a smile. "they have a daughter too. And a son too."

Quinn doesn't say anything. She is very quieted while they are having their lunch.

Back in the lab Quinn comes in to the locker room where Danny is changing after a shower. He is closing his pants when Quinn walks in.

"oh I'm sorry, detective Messer." Danny turns around and hurry to close his pants. The hi turns around to face Quinn again. he isn't wearing a t-shirt.

"you want to say something?" Danny asks when he realize that Quinn is staring at him.

"yes. hmm… would you mind putting un a shirt?" she asks. clearly unconfutable about shirtless Danny.

"sure." He looks in his locker for a shirt. "you are not used to sharing locker-room?" Danny asks to try easy up the situation a little. Quinn has turned around and has her back to him.

"hm… no. no I'm not. In the FBI we had separate locker rooms."

"I apologize that we are not as privileged as the _great_ federal bureau." Danny says and walks over to the mirror. Quinn walks over to her locker. She opens her locker and put in her bag.

"detective Messer. Can I ask you something?" Danny turns around to face her.

"sure." Danny says in a tone that sound like he is open for a friendly conversation but he puts his arms crossed that clearly tells Quinn he is not open for her attempt for a friendly conversation.

"how long have you and detective Monroe been married?"

Danny look down for a moment.

"to be honest, detective. I don't feel like I know you well enough to discuss my married or my wife with you. No offends." Then he leaves the locker room in a hurry. Quinn look after him and then she shuts her locker and leave the locker room.

Quinn comes in to the DNA-lab where Lindsay is analyzing some blood samples. Lindsay look over at her.

"hey. I'm not quite done with the samples from are vic yet. Sid gave me some more samples to analyze from the victim."

Quinn walks over to Lindsay and look at Lindsay's work.

"I would like to speak with you personally."

Lindsay walk over to get a new box with latex gloves. She doesn't look at Quinn for a second.

"I prefer to not have personal conversations when I'm working." Lindsay says and rip of her gloves and put om some new before she comes back beside Quinn. She is still not looking at Quinn.

"okay I understand. So your conversation with dr. Hawkes on the crime scene about his new girlfriend was case related? I didn't get. Witch division does she work in?"

Lindsay stop working and sign loudly before she looks at Quinn.

"okay. What do you want to know?"

"how long have you and detective Messer been married and is Mac informed about it?"

Lindsay shakes her head.

"yes Mac knows Danny and I are married. He was there when we got married actually. Danny and I have been married for 5 years now."

"so you were married to detective Messer 5 years ago when I was her to inspect the lab?"

Lindsay continues working on the DNA samples to control her irritation.

"no. we were dating on off. Why?"

"was your supervisor informed about your relationship to detective Messer when he gave you that reprimand around the handling of evidence 5 years ago?"

Lindsay is getting more and more annoyed by the questions, but she is trying not to show it to Quinn. "no Mac didn't know at that time. but I told him when he gave me that reprimand that I had ended the relationship."

Lindsay take the DNA samples and storage them in the refrigerator and take of her gloves.

"if you don't have any more questions, I would like to get back to work." Lindsay leave fast without any word from Quinn.

Mac is sitting in his office. He is texting with Christine about dinner plans for the night, when Lindsay and Danny comes in to the office, without knocking first.

"I'm getting nuts." Lindsay says. She is clearly upset. Mac look up with a smile.

"it was you how choose to married him."

Lindsay look at Danny and can't help smiling. "not my married. Not this time…"

Mac stands up and walk to the front of his desk.

"okay what is it?" he says in a more serious tone.

"Quinn Shelby."

Mac nods. "okay. What is it?"

"is she her as an inspector or interrogator? Or what the hell is she doing her?" Danny asks.

"she is a detective just like you two."

"so why is she asking questions about our married and about the reprimand that you gave me 5 years ago doing the Cabbie killer case?"

Mac look confused.

"I have no idea. I didn't ask her to do that. I didn't even know that she knew about your married."

"well she clearly does." Danny says very offensive.

"okay I will have with her and tell her to stay out of your personal business." Danny and Lindsay nods.

"thanks buddy." Danny says. Gives Mac a tap on the shoulder before he opens the door for Lindsay.

"but…" mac says. Danny and Lindsay stops in the door and look at him.

"I heard your guys didn't exactly give a warm welcome." Danny and Lindsay look at each other with a little guilty smile.

"be nice, guys."

"yes dad." Danny says with a smile and then they both leave the office. Mac look after them with a smile. Then he stands up and walks back to his desk. He takes his phone and see there is a new text from Christine. It says: _are you going to tell me the other reasons that you love me, to night?_

Christine always know how to get him to smile, even when he has a bad day.

At around 6.

Pm mac is ready to go home. He walks into his office to get his coat. When he comes in to his office Quinn is sitting in his chair.

"what are you doing in her?" he asks.

She is looking at the picture of him and Christine on his desk.

"she looks nice. Girlfriend?"

Mac walks over at take the picture from Quinn and put it back on the desk.

"my fiancée. What are you doing in here?"

Quinn look at his picture of him and Lucy he also has on the desk. She takes de picture up.

"I didn't know you had a daughter. What's her name?"

Mac takes the picture away from her.

"she is my goddaughter. Could you please stay away from my desk?"

Quin stands up from his chair and walks around him.

"how long have you been engaged?"  
mac look over at her with a look that clearly tells her that it is none of her business. She nods in acceptances.

"listen Mac. I know you and your team is like a family. Jo told me that. She also told me that your guys are like a family and you don't like new people on in your family."

Mac put on his jacket.

"so it was Jo how told you about Danny and Lindsay is married?"

Quinn nods. "okay. They told you that."

"they told me that you were asking a little too many questions that make you sound like an inspector."

Quinn nods with a smile.

"I sense that my presents on your team isn't exactly wanted either from you or from your team members."

"if you stop acting like an inspector and start being a team player, then I'm pretty sure my team will play with you. Good night Quinn."

Mac leaves the office and heads to the elevator.

Christine and Mac is sitting on the couch and watching a movie together. Christine is leaning in to Mac and resting her head on his chest. She looks up at him. He is a sleep.

"Mac, is it a good movie?"

Mac make some noise.

"you are a sleep sweetie. You should go to sleep." She turns of the TV. Mac wakes up.

"hmm… is the movie over?"

"yes. Did you like it?"

She looks at him with a teasing smile.

"do you always have to tease me when I'm tired?"

"hmm... I thought that was one of the things you love about me." She says and takes the bowl the chips were in and walk to the kitchen. Shortly after she comes back.

"I'm going to go take a shower. Go to sleep." She leans over a kisses him before she heads to the bedroom.

Mac is getting ready to bed and he has put on his sweatpants. Christine is taking a shower, when Mac hear a loud scream from the bathroom. He runs out there.

"what is going on?" he asks. she is standing with a towel around her.

"in there." She points at the shower. Mac looks in the shower.

"what?" he asks confused.

"there is a spider up there." She points to the corner of the shower. Mac starts laughing.

"yeah I think if I had my microscope I might be able to actually see it." he walks over and take a peace of toilet paper and removes the tiny spider. Christine takes a step away from Mac when he flushes out the paper.

"is there any other dangerous animals out her?" he teases.

"no only a jerk of a boyfriend." She says a little annoyed by his teasing of her fear of spiders. He looks at her with a smile. She just shakes her head.

"you are such a jerk."

She gets ready to go back I to the shower. He is standing in the door. she looks over at him.

"leave." She orders. "or do you want to join?"

"okay." He says and joins her in the shower.

"this is the thing I love the most about you." He says and lean over to kiss her.


	3. Chapter 3 - too much

Chapter 3 – too much

Adam is running late today. He didn't wake up to his alarm so Lindsay called him 30 minutes ago. He runs in to the locker. Drops of his bag and change to his lab coat before he runs up to the AV-lab.

"morning Mr. Ross you are late." A female voice says from the door behind him. He turns around and see Quinn Shelby.

"I know. I'm sorry I overslept."

"I suggest you start working then. Surveillance from this morning crime scene. Suspect is wearing a red hoodie. Find him ASAP and rapport to me when you find him."

"but I'm always reporting to Mac." mac look over at the door but Quinn is already gone.

Adam starts working on the surveillance from the crime scene. Shortly after Danny comes in.

"hey buddy could you check the victims phone record for me. I'm looking for a possible boyfriend. Could be are prime suspect?"

Danny drops the victim's pink cell phone on the table in front of Adam and walks to the door.

"oh hey buddy…"

Adam looks over at Danny.

"I hope she was worth getting in to trouble for." Danny says with a smile before he leaves.

Adam just smiles and put his pen back in his mouth and continues the work on the survaliences.

About 1-hour later Mac comes in to the Lab.

"hey Adam what did you got?"

"hey boss… still working on the surveillances form the crime scene."

"forget about that for now. I need you to check the victim's internet activity on her computer. She spends a lot of time on internet dating and her possible boyfriend might be our suspect. First priority Adam."

Adam nods and takes the victims computer Mac just brought him and starts working on that.

At lunchtime Adam is sitting in the breakroom. He is taking up his lunch bag when Quinn walks in.

"Ross, what did you get of the surveillance?"

Adam look up at Quinn.

"nothing yet. Still working on it."

"I don't see that."

Adam look at his lunch. He put it away and walk bag to the AV-lab and continues the work.

About 1 hour later Quinn comes in to the lab.

"tell me you got something." She says.

"yes I found the red hoodie man walking away from the crime scene. I'm running facial recognition now. I can send it to your phone when I get it."

Quinn leaves the room without a word.

"your welcome." Adam says after her.

Adams starts to feel really hungry. I gets up from the chair but before he have the change to leave the romm Mac comes in.

"hey Adam. Did you get something from the victims computer?"

Adams stomach begins to rumble. Mac look at him with a little smile.

"you should get something to eat."

Adam nods.

"yes boss."

Adam sits down and informs Mac about what he got of the victim's internet history.

"good job Adam. Get something to eat."

Mac leaves the lab. Adam stands up but Jo comes in.

"hey Adam could you track down this guy's cell phone for me. He is my prime suspect. Call me when you got it."

Jo leaves the lab. Adam look at file Jo left on the table. He looks at his watch. It is almost 2 pm now and he didn't get any breakfast today. He decides to take the change to sneak to the breakroom and get a granola bar. Hoping Quinn doesn't see him.

Mac comes out of the interrogation room after an interrogation with the victim's roommate. Danny comes over to him.

"any news?" Danny asks.

Mac shake his head.

"not so far. He has an alibi. Adam is still looking for any information about the boyfriend's identity."

They walk toward the lab together.

"so how is my godson?"

"not so good. He is still sick. Actually…" Danny stops and face Mac. "I would like to ask you if you could look after Lucy a couple of hours tonight. Lindsay and I have an appointment with Jack at the hospital for some more test of his Lungs. If you don't have plans."

Mac nods.

"yeah I will call Christine see if she has any plans. But I'm pretty sure we can look after her to day."

"thanks man. I will go pick her up from school in about one hour if I bring her in her to you. Is that okay?"

Mac nods.

"year sure."

Mac comes in to his office while he is dealing Christine's number.

"hey you." Christine's voice always makes him happy.

"hey sweetie. How you doing?"

"good. Is everything okay?"

"yes everything is fine. Well my case is stuck because I can't find my prime suspect or doesn't even know if he exists. But other vice fine."

Christine chuckles about his description of his work.

"good luck with that."

"do you have any plans for tonight?" he asks.

"no I don't think so. So you?" she asks with hope in her voice.

"not what you think. Do you want to babysit with me tonight?"

"you mean Lucy?"

"hmm… year. Jack is still sick so Lindsay and Danny is taking him to the hospital for some more test. So they asked if we could look after Lucy a couple of hours."

"sure it would be nice to have some help with looking after you."

Mac chuckles.

"okay I tell Danny. See you later."

Mac hangs up.

"STOP!" someone yells from a distances. Mac walks out of his office to identify the voice. It is Adam in the breakroom. Jo, Danny, Hawkes and Flack is standing very surprised around him.

"stop. I can't take it anymore. I haven't got anything to eat all day because of you. I need something to eat before I can focus."

Everyone is just looking very surprised at him.

"what is going on?" mac asks.

"Adam is…" Danny says but can't really find the defining word.

"Adam what is going on?" Mac asks in a calmer voice.

"I need something to eat before I can focus."

"yes of cause nobody says anything to that."

"all day I didn't had time to eat because every time I tried to get something to eat someone had some work for me to do."

"Adam no one here tells you that work is more important then you getting something to eat."

Adam look up at the rest of the team.

"no they don't, but…"

"but what buddy?" Danny asks.

"nothing." Adam says when he sees Quinn enter the room.

Everyone look at Quinn.

"what's going on?" nobody says anything.

"Adam lets go in to my office." Mac says and put a hand on Adams shoulder.

Adam stands up and take the rest of his water.

"Adam did you get a facial recognition on my suspect?"

Adam just look at her.

"Come on Adam." Mac says with a hand on his shoulder. Adam follows Mac. Quinn just look confused at the rest of the team. Nobody says anything and then leave the breakroom.

Adam and mac comes in to macs office. Adam sits down on the couch.

"what is going on? I have only seen you like this once before."

"I'm sorry boss. Want happen again." Adam stands up.

"sit down Adam and tell me what is going on. You where late this morning. You are never late. You yell at the rest of the team..."

Adam sit down and look at his hands.

"it is just I don't want to cost any trouble for anyone but the new detective Shelby she… I never feel like I'm doing it good enough with her."

Mac nods.

"she is pressing you too much?"

Adam look up and nods.

"i… I don't want to put her into trouble. It's just…"

"it's okay Adam. You are doing a great job Adam."

He gives Adam a pat on the shoulder.

"thanks boss."

"go finish your lunch and get back to work." Mac orders with a smile. Adam stands up. "yes Boss." Then he leaves the office. Mac leaner against the corner of his desk. He rubs the corner of his eyes with his fingertips.

Mac comes in to the trace lab where Quinn is having trouble with EDNA.

"oh come on your stupid piece of…"

Mac stands in the door. He is amused by Quinn's frustration.

"having trouble Quinn?" he asks when he enter the room.

"how do you get this pieces of…?"

"EDNA is her name and she is very corruptive." Mac walks over and operates EDNA and she gives Quinn exactly the piece of evidence she need for her comprising. He takes the piece of evidence and handles it to Quinn. She takes it and walks over to the microscope.

"you are very welcome." He says.

"finally a match." She says and takes of her gloves and trough them out. Then she looks over at Mac.

"I assume you are not her just to help me with that." She says and points at EDNA.

"no. Adam."

Quinn nods.

"you pushed him too much. He is a sensitive guy. He works in his own tempo but he is the best tech I ever had."

Quinn nods and look down for a second.

"the best tech ever ha?"

Mac nods.

"no offends but yes he is. He has a Knowles about things that… year no other human has." Quinn chuckles.

"and he also has his very own way of doing things but even though he always gets to the right conclusion in his own Adam-way."

"okay. Jo told me that he had trouble with staying focused so I actually just tried to help him."

Mac nod in acceptances.

"he is dealing with some things. I know you don't like the excuse of dealing with personal stuff but my team is humans. We have personal stuff that we all deal with and you need to lean to accept that."

Quinn look down.

"I'm not use to people bringing family issues to work."

"hi Mac." a young girls voice syas behind Mac.

Before Mac has time to turn around Quin says. "officer Kids isn't allowed in here. Would you please escort this kid to…"

"it is okay." Mac interrups after he has turned around. He gives a sign to the office that it is al good. The he look down at his 5 year old goddaughter Lucy. She has her favorite doll in her arms.

"what are you doing in her young lady?"

Lucy smiles.

"looking for you. Daddy said I should be with you to day." Lucy sounds very happy about that.

"he did?" Mac says and pretend to be surprised. Lucys little happy face change to a worried expression.

"yes Daddy said that." She sounds very worried now.

"hmm… what could you and I possibly spend 4 hours with?" mac pretend to woundre.

"playing football in the park." Lucy suggest.

"hmm… year that sounds like a great plan." He smiles.

"is Christine coming?"

"do you want her to come?"

"yes, yes, yes." Lucy is jumping in excitement. Mac smiles.

"okay." Lucy runs over at Mac picks her up to a big hug.

"so why don't you take my cellphone and go in to my office and call Christine and asks her if she want to come and play with us in… let's say 1 hour?"

Lucy nods and jumps down. Mac gives her his cellphone.

"hallo miss Lucy"

Lucy turns around. Sheldon is standing in the door.

"Hawkes" Lucy smile and runs over to hug Hawkes.

"what are you doing in here?"

"I'm going to call Christine."

Lucy and Hawkes leave the room together while Lucy is informing Hawkes that she is spending the afternoon with Mac and Christine. Mac turns around to face Quinn. Mac can't help smile every time he is together with Lucy.

"cute girl." Quinn says. Mac nods. "yes… she is." Mac leaves the room with a smile.

Mac walks toward his office when he is stopped by a lab tech to sign a rapport. Then he walks in to his office. Lucy and Hawkes is sitting on the couch and playing with Lucy's doll. Mac just look at them with a smile. Hawkes looks up at Mac.

"you want to join?" he asks. mac shakes his head.

"no thanks it seems like you got that covered." Mac walks over to his desk to finish the last paperwork while Hawkes and Lucy continues. Lucy tells Hawkes about her doll and that she got it for Christmas from Mac and Christine.

In the meantime, Adam has finish up his work and is down in the locker room to get ready to go home. He is sitting in his own thoughts when Quinn comes in.

"hey Mr. Ross. Can I speak with you for a second?" she says in a softer voice then he has ever heard before from her. Adam look up.

"sure." He says a little surprised about the softness in her voice. She takes a seat across from him.

"I'm sorry about earlier today." Quinn look down. This is not easy for her. "I didn't mean to push you too far."

Adam nods. "thanks. I had a bad day too." He smiles a little. He notices the corner of her lips turn up also.

"it's my first official case here so I just want to show Mac I'm as good as I used to be."

Adam nods. He knows exactly how that feels.

"I… you properly heard from the rest of the team that I'm wired?" Quinn smiles and nods.

"year they mentioned that."

Adams nods. "year I have a little anxiety. Ever since my first day here. My biggest fear has been to disappoint Mac so he would fire me." Adam looks down. "i… I have never told anyone that before."

"thanks for trusting me. I don't think anyone on the team does that."

"it is not that they don't trust you professionally but they don't know you personal, so they don't share their personal life. Open up to them and over time they will open up to you."

Quinn nods. Adam stands up and take his bag over his shoulder. Quinn stands up to at hand her hand to Adam. "thanks for the advice Mr. Ross."

"just say Adam."

"thanks Adam. Have a good night."

"good night Quinn." Adam says and the leave the locker room.

In Macs office Hawkes has left the office and Lucy is now sitting and waiting for Mac to finish up.

"Mac are you done? Sofia is very inpatient." Lucy is holding her doll up to show Mac how impatient she is. Mac smiles.

"I can see how impatient Sofia is. Can you get her to sit down? I'm done in 2 minutes."

"I can try, but she isn't very good at listening when she is getting impatient." Mac can't help smile because that is exactly how Lucy is. Now she is just turning her impatient on to the doll.

"listen Sofia you have to sit down still." Lucy orders her doll. Mac finish the last file and closes the file and stands up.

"okay Lucy I'm done. Put on your jacket."

Lucy stands up and put on her jacket while Mac put on his jacket.

"okay let's go Lucy."

"what about Sofia, shouldn't she be wearing her jacket?" Lucy look very surprised about Macs lack of responsibility for the dolls health.

"of cause. My bad. Sofia should put on her jacket too."  
Lucy put on the dolls jacket and then they are ready to go.


	4. Chapter 4 - playtime in the park

Chapter 4

 _Central park 5.30 pm_

Mac and Lucy arrives to central park. Lucy is looking around for Christine.

"I can't see her Mac. she isn't here." Lucy says disappointed. Mac points at a blonde woman sitting on a bench with sunglasses on.

"she is over there."

Lucy runs over to the blonde woman and Mac follows. When Christine sees Lucy she stands up to embrace Lucy.

"Christine." Lucy says loud. Christine take her up to an embrace.

"I missed you Christine it is so long time since I saw you last time"

"I missed you too Lucy. So how have you been since last time?"

"good… but I haven't got any pancakes since last time."

Christine and Mac starts laughing. Lucy look very serious at Mac.

"Mac it is not funny that I haven't got any pancakes."

Mac try not to laugh at her. Christine put Lucy down. Mac look at Christine. She looks very sweaty. It is very hot in central park today.

"hey sunshine." He says and take her in to an embrace. "you are sweaty." She looks at him with a slightly offended expression.

"it is hot out here." She says and smiles at him.

"I know." He says. He learns closer to her so Lucy who is standing right next to them can't hear what he is saying. "You are out here." He says with a smile. She looks surprised at him. Normally he never says things like that outside of their apartment and differently never when Lucy is there. She learns in to kiss him. Before they break apart from the kiss Lucy is pulling in Christine's shirt. Christine and Mac look down at her.

"Christine my daddy says that it is dangerous to kiss a boy."

Mac look surprised at Lucy.

"what do you mean Lucy?" Christine asks.  
"my daddy says that it is dangerous for a girl to kiss a boy."

Mac and Christine look at Lucy. Christine kneel down to Lucy.

"Lucy it is not dangerous for me to kiss Mac. just like it is not dangerous for your mom to kiss your dad."

Lucy look very wondering about that fact. Christine stands up. Mac put his arms around her. The next hour Mac and Lucy through the football to each other while Christine is sitting on the grace and watching them. Mac has taking off his jacket and his shirt and is known only wearing his black tight V-neck t-shirt and his black training pants. Christine can't help looking at Mac and notice how relaxed he looks when he is playing with Lucy. In a little distance from Christine there is some woman sitting on a blanket. she notices they are talking about Mac and how good he looks in the tight perfectly fit t-shirt.

After about 1-hour Mac and Lucy comes over to Christine again. Christine notices that the women who was looking at Mac before is following Mac to Christine. Christine can't help feeling a little jealous about the ladies talk. When Mac comes over to Christine and sits down she put her hands on his cheeks and kisses him. The women start to look away. Mac look a little surprised at her but doesn't say anything. Lucy sits down on the blanket and take some water.

"so Lucy what do you say about having ice-cream?" Mac asks. Lucy vide her eyes and then she nods.

"yes, yes, yes." She says with a big smile. Then her expression turns to very serious.

"are we still getting pancakes to night then?" mac and Christine look at each other. They hadn't even thought about that.

"hmmm… ice-cream or pancakes? Well… Christine's pancakes or ice cream?" mac says wondering.

"Christine's pancake. I don't want ice cream." Lucy says. Mac and Christine smile at each other.

"I could really eat some ice-cream. What do we say both ice cream and pancakes?" mac asks Christine. Christine just smiles at him without saying anything. Mac makes a decision himself.

"ice-cream and pancakes it is." He stands up. "you want to come with me Lucy?" Lucy shakes her head. "what kind of ice cream Lucy?" he asks.

"the M & M's ice cream." Mac nods and leaves them to go to the ice cream shop.

While Mac is waiting in the line for ice cream there are two women standing behind him. The women are the same as was talking about him before while he was playing with Lucy. Mac starts small talking with the two women while they are waiting in the line. Mac is now front in the line and he turns around and order the ice cream. While Mac is paying for the ice cream he hear Christine scream.

"Mac he stole my purse." Mac turns around and see two guys run away from Christine with her purse. Mac leaves the ice cream and runs after them. It is two young men around 20-25 years old. After about 100 meters Mac cuts up to one of them and jumps over him. They get in to a fight and Mac end up having him face down on the ground and lock his legs and his hands.

"you are under arrest. You have the right to remind silences. Use it." mac is clearly ignored. He gets the guy up on his feet. Shortly after a civil car with light and a siren arrives and Flack and Lovato jumps out.

"Mac what the hell is going on?" flack asks when he walks over to Mac. Lovato puts the guy in handcuffs.

"the guy stole Christine's purse. I ran after him. There where one other guy but I lost him. They both fit the description of the two how has been pick pocking in central park over the past few weeks. We should run their fingerprints and check their homes. I'm pretty sure it is them."

Flack just look at Mac.

"you are not on duty. Where is your fiancée?" flack asks with a little smile. Mac smiles.

"she is down there with Lucy."

"let's go talk to her."

Flack and Mac walk back to where Lucy and Christine is. When Lucy sees Mac she runs over to him. She looks very concerned at Mac.  
"are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

"no Lucy. I'm fine."

Lucy look up at Flack.

"did you get my and Christine's call, Don?" Lucy asks. Flack smiles and nods.

"yes I did Lucy. You two did a pretty good job." Lucy look proud up at Mac. they walk over to Christine who is still sitting on the blanket.

"you are okay babe?" Mac asks. Christine look pretty shaken.

"year I'm fine. You?"

"no one beats Mac." Lucy says very proud. Don, Mac and Christine's smiles at Lucy's comment.

"so Christine we got one guy..." Lucy look up at Don.

"Mac got one guy." Lucy corrects.

"okay if we have to count… Mac got one guy." Don look down at Lucy. She nods in acceptances of his correction. Mac and Christine is amused about Lucy.

"but did you get a good look at the guys?" Don has his notepad ready.

"no really. Swim shorts. Tank top. One blond surfer hair. The other one black hair too much hair gel. Sunglasses. Both sneakers."

"sneakers?" Don interrupts her.

"year I know. It is wired. But they were surfer guys with sneakers. One of them… the one who stole my purse stepped on the blanket."

Mac walks over to examine the shoeprint. Then he looks up at Flack.

"I call a gig." Flack says with a teasing smile and walks away to make a call. Christine look confused at Mac.

"a gig?" mac nods. "AKA My team members." mac clarifies with a smile.

20 minutes later Quinn Shelby and dr. Hawkes arrives at the scene. When Quinn sees Mac playing around with Lucy she can't stop looking at him. He looks so relaxed. Like a hole different man then when she sees I'm in suit and tie in the lab. She follows Hawkes over to Christine.

"hey Christine." Hawkes greet. "Christine this is Quinn Shelby. New member of the team."

Hawkes realize that Quinn isn't listening but is focused on Mac and Lucy. They are thronging the football to each other. Hawkes notice mac has some difficulties using his left hand to catch the ball.

"How long have they been playing," Hawkes asks. Christine smiles.

"the past 20 minutes. It is a distraction for Lucy. She was pretty freaked out." Hawkes nods and look over at Mac and Lucy too.

"he is great with kids." Quinn says without thinking about how she is standing together with.

"yes he is." Christine agrees. Hawkes look at Christine with a little smile.

"when is it time for you two?"

"oh please stop. Should you process some crime scene instead?"

"you sound way too much like Mac right know."

They laughs a little.

"hey Mac." Christine calls. Mac and Lucy stop playing and racing over to Christine. Lucy almost bumps into Christine.

"I win." Lucy yells.

"I totally did Lucy."

Lucy look up at Mac with a very determent look.

"no you didn't. because I touched Christine first."  
"you didn't say Christine was the finish line."

"yes I did." "no you didn't."

Quinn, Christine and Hawkes is just looking at them.

"are you too kids done playing?" Hawkes asks. Lucy and Mac look at each other.

"no." they both says and Lucy starts laughing. Mac change to a more serious look and turn to face Quinn and Hawkes.

"two men stole Christine's purse here. I chased them. One got away. I got in to a fight with one of them."

"so I'm going to process you." Quinn says fast. Hawkes looks at her.

"okay. I take the scene. Christine did you notice if they stepped on the blanket?"

"they did."

Christine and Hawkes walks over to the blanket. Quinn look down at Lucy and the at Mac.

"is she staying here?"

Mac nods.

"yes she is. So just process me. Did you bring some change clothing for me?"

"I forgot that." Quinn admits.

"I think I might have some in my car." All three of them walk to Mac's car. Quinn doesn't seem to enjoy that Lucy is around, but she isn't saying anything. She sees how much Mac enjoys spending time with Lucy and she don't want to get into trouble with Mac. In the meantime, Christine is watching Hawkes processing the scene.

"do you know the story about Mac and Quinn Shelby?" Christine asks. Hawkes look up at her for a second. Then he looks down again with a smile.

"yeah everyone does. She has a crush on him and she doesn't do much to hide it."

"no I noticed." Christine says and look over at Macs car where Quinn is processing Mac. Mac is changing his t-shirt. He doesn't seem to bother that Quinn is obviously stirring at him.

"Christine don't let you bother by it. Mac has told her to back off before and I know he will do it again if she gets too close."

"is it wrong that I think she is way too close know?"

Hawkes look over at Quinn and Mac. she is processing his hands for evidences but normally the CSI doesn't touch the victims arm in a very flirting way like Quinn does right now. Christine doesn't like it Hawkes notices.

"Christine could you do me a favor and go give this to Lucy?" he hands her Lucy's doll Sofia with a look that tells Christine that is her excuse to interrupt Quinn. Christine take the doll and walk over to Mac and Lucy.

"hey guys. Lucy you forgot Sofia." Christine gives Lucy the doll. Lucy hugs the doll.

"I'm sorry Sofia but Mac needed me." Lucy explains to the doll.

"you okay?" Christine asks Mac with a soft low voice. Mac nods.

"yes I'm fine." Mac takes her hand and gives it a soft kiss. Christine notice some bruces on his wrist.

"it seems like your wrist is broken." Mac look at his hand.

"nahh it's no big deal."

"Hawkes should take a look at it." Christine says.

"no it's fine." He says and turn his focus to Quinn. "I think I scratched the guy who got away. It should be enough to get a DNA-sample." He informs her. She scrapes his nails on his left hand that is not holding Christine's hand. Christine look at the sample Quinn put in an evidence bag.

"what is that?"

"you don't want to know babe." Mac says with a smile.

"dead skin cells from the suspect who took you bag." Quinn informs her with any signs of sympathy for what Mac just said and the fact that it totally creeps Christine out. Quinn is putting the evidence bag in her field kit while she is talking. She is now turning around to face Mac and Christine again. Mac is giving her a serious look that tells her that it wasn't so smart what she just said.

"it sciences." Quinn defends herself. Mac doesn't seem happy. 10 minutes after is Hawkes done and he has wrapped up the blanket and want to bring it back to the lab for further process. He takes a look at Macs hand and is pretty fast to concluded that the wrist is broken. Hawkes tells him to go to the ER but Mac refuses. Christine takes his car key and tells him that is not up for discussion. Both Don and Hawkes is amused about Christine is taking the control.

7.30 pm is Mac, Lucy and Christine back at the apartment. Lucy and Christine go straight to the kitchen and starts making pancakes. Mac go to the couch to rest. The doctor at the ER found out that He also had two ribs that was pushed. In the car on their way home Lucy had asked Mac 5 times if he was okay.

Mac lays down on the couch. His ribs are hurting but his hands aren't that bad. He closes his eyes for a moment but shortly after he fell something on his left arm. He opens his eyes and see Lucy who is disappearing out to the kitchen again. on his left arm is Lucy's doll placed. Mac take the doll and look at it and smiles. Shortly after Christine comes in to the living room with a glass of water and some painkillers. She takes a seat on the couch next to him.

"how you feeling?"

"I'm not going to take does. If I get any more painkillers I'm not going to feel anything." Mac nods toward the painkillers in her hand. She put them on the table.

"okay. Just drink some water."

She hands him the glass.

"I see you got company from Sofia."

The both smiles and look at the doll.

"yeah. She keeps me company." Mac take the doll up and look at it. he looks back to check that Lucy isn't there.

"what is the deal with this doll? She has it with her everywhere." He asks in a whispering tone.

"you didn't have a toy when you were a kid you brought everywhere?"

"no I don't think so. I had a gun my dad made for me I would bring everywhere and a marine t-shirt my dad gave to me after his last deployment. But not a toy."

"exactly Mac. you got the point." She gives him a kiss on his head. He looks confused.

"it is not about the toy or the gun or the t-shirt. It is about the person who gave it to you. Just like it is for Lucy. You gave that doll to her. It protects her. Just like your t-shirt from your dad protected you."

"I don't get it. It was just a t-shirt."

Christine shake her head.

"you are a strange guy Mac Taylor." She says and walks out to Lucy in the kitchen again.

10 minutes after they have pancake and after pancakes they decide to watch a movie. Lucy decides they are watching tangled. But only 10 minutes in to the movie only Christine is awake. At around 10 pm Lindsay and Danny comes with their Babyboy jack.

"hey guys come on in." They walk in to the living room together. Danny and Lindsay sees Lucy sleeping with her head on mac and holding macs injured hand.

"we heard what happen. Are you okay?" Lindsay askes. Christine nods and look at mac.

"yeah we all are."

Danny walks over and take Lucy up. He is very careful not to wake her up. But as soon as he releases her hand from macs she wakes up.

"mommy? I want my mommy."

Lindsay hands jack over to Christine while she takes Lucy. Jack is almost starting to crying but Christine manage to distract him so he is laughing instead. Danny and Lindsay look over at her.

"wow you are really good." Lindsay says.

"she should really look after him more often." Danny says to Lindsay. Christine just smiles and look at little Baby-Jack who Is holding tight on Christine's finger.

"why don't you guys get one yourself?" Danny asks. Christine look over at Danny and shakes her head.

"you are the second one who is asking me that today. What is it whit that team?" she looks over at Lindsay.

"maybe because we know how great both of you are with kids." Lindsay says.

"I don't think it is going to happen or at least not anytime soon."

Danny and Lindsay look a little surprised. They didn't expect her to open up the possibility. Christine hands Jack over to Danny.

"okay Lucy lets go home. Where is Sofia?"

"Mac is borrowing her." Danny and Lindsay look confused down at sleeping Mac. Christine takes Sofia and hands it to Lucy.

"I think Mac will be fine without Sofia." Lucy take Sofia in to a tight hug.

"yeah he also has captain Awesome." Danny Lindsay and Christine look very confused at Lucy and then down at sleeping Mac. Then they all walk out to the entrances.

"Lucy say goodbye to Christine." Lindsay says.

"bye Christine." Lucy is waving to Christine so she almost drops Sofia. "Sofia is saying goodbye too. She had fun too."

"I'm glad she did Lucy." Lindsay walks out to the car with Lucy.

"thanks for looking after her today, Christine."

"your welcome Danny. Have a good night."

"Thanks. Good night." Danny leaves and Christine closes the door. she comes in to the Livingroom and starts cleaning up after the movie and popcorn. She comes in to the living room again and start wiping of the table when she feels a hand on her thigh. She turns around and sees Mac is awake.

"morning sleepyhead." She says. Mac look confused at his watch.

"morning? it is 10.15 pm. Danny and Lindsay just left?" he sits up and put his good hand to his bruised ribs in pain. Christine look surprised.

"you heard they were here?" he nods.

"year I only heard part of the conversation then I feel back to sleep. I heard you said something that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. What was that about?"

She smiles a little.

"nothing. You should go to bed." she finishes with wiping off the table and leaves for the kitchen to clean the cloth and finish up in the kitchen. While she is putting the last few things in the dishwasher she feel some hands on her hips. She stands up and turns around. He wrap his arms around her.

"it was about having kids. Wasn't it?"

She nods a little ashamed that he heard it.

"you don't want to have kids?"

She turns around to finish up.

"I do maybe." He put his hands around her and force her to face him.

"maybe?"

"I mean with the right guy."

Mac smiles. "okay so you should go find him."

She starts smiling. "I already have."

"hmm… when can I meet him?"

They both starts laughing.

"you are such a jerk. Go to bed."

She pushes him out of her way.

"oh… so you want to start now?"

She looks surprised at him. She blushes a little. "that was so not what I said."

"hmm." He says and walk toward the bedroom. "I wish it was." He says quiet but still loud enough so that she can hear it. she stops and look at him.

"what did you say?" he turns around.

"nothing. I just said good night."

He smiles and walk in to the bedroom and get changed and go to bed. 5 minutes after she comes in to the bedroom and change to one of Macs old Marine t-shirts that she is normally sleeping in and go to bed to. She places her head on his chest and hold his hand. She is laying in silences for a while before she asks.

"who is captain Awesome?"

She turns around to face him and rest on her elbows. He looks surprised.

"who told you about him?"

"Lucy."

Mac nods.

"of cause she did." Mac look over at his nightstand. There is a teddy bear in Military uniform sitting in the dark.

"it's him." Mac says. Christine leans over Mac and take the teddy bear and look at him. She smiles.

"Mac Taylor has a teddy bear. I would never have thought that."  
she looks at the teddy bear for a while.

"isn't he in an army uniform and not a marine?"

Mac nods.

"year technical detail. Clair didn't know the difference when she gave it to me."

Christine laughs.

"Clair gave him to you?"

Mac nods and takes the teddy bear.

"yeah… the day of my first deployment… well the first time I got deployed after we got together. She said he would keep me safe when she wasn't there to do it."

Christine nods.

"he did and he still does."

Mac nods.

"but what's with the name?"

Mac laughs a little.

"Claire's younger brother use to call me captain awesome when I called the family phone to talk with Claire when we started being together. It annoyed Claire crazy in the beginning, but after my first deployment was over she actually started calling me captain Awesome sometimes and when it was time for my second deployment she said I should give him a name. so I named him Captain awesome."

Christine is just listening to his story.

"that is really sweet."

"I guess it is a little pathetic that I kept him all these years. Claire teased me when we moved in together that I want to keep him. I said many time that I didn't needed him anymore because I had her to protect me know but after Clair died… I just… I just couldn't get rid of him."

Mac put the teddy bear back on the nightstand in the shadow.

"have you ever told anyone else that?"

"no. Lucy is the only one who knows about him and now you."

She learns up a kisses him on the cheek.

"I don't think it's pathetic. It is very sweet."

Mac wraps his arm around her and turns around so he is on top of her. She can clearly see he's in pain but he pretends like nothing so she does the same… for now.


	5. Chapter 5 - inapprpriate behavior

**Inappropriate** **behavior**

Crime scene

The 911 got a call from a neighbor last night at around 10.30 about a domestic disturbance in the apartment. The police came to the apartment and the door was locked at it was quiet in the apartment. The officer got access to the apartment about 30 minutes later by the maintenance. They found a woman in her mid 20 violently stabbed to death. There were blood all over the apartment and clear signs of a struggle. The woman did not go down without a fight. Flack was called to the scene about 11.05 and he also called the CSI team. Quinn showed up at the crime scene 15 minutes later. When she arrived at the crime scene Flack had just finished an interview with the neighbor who made the 911 call, when his phone rings. He excuses himself and walks aside before he answers his phone.

"hey, babe. I'm sorry I got called to a crime scene. I will try to be home as soon as we are finished here." He says before he sees Quinn standing behind him.

"I got to go, babe. I will see you later."

He hangs up on the phone. A little embarrassed that she heard his conversation. "your girlfriend?" she asks. He doesn't respond and he puts his phone in his inside pocket of his jacket before he walks Quinn into the apartment.

"neighbor heard argument and called 911. Officer got access to the apartment from maintenance and found this. The victim is over here near the phone. She must have tried to reach the phone and lost too much blood before she could call." Flack informs her.

"detective Flack. I am a forensics expert. I prefer facts over speculations. I will let you know when I got som facts about this crime. Until then please leave my crime scene so it doesn't get any more contaminated than it already has. Thank you." Quinn informs him and then starts getting into her white rabbit suit and gloves and mask. Flack is surprised about being kicked out of a crime scene like that. Not normally the treatment he gets from Macs team. He walks away from the apartment. Before he exits the apartment, Quinn calls him back.

"detective Flack.i have told you before. Please keep your private conversations away from the crime scene. I heard from detective Taylor that you were supposed to be the most professional homicide detective."

Before getting any response from Flack Quinn starts processing the crime scene.

After about 1 hour Quinn is getting very frustrated about the ME hasn't arrived to remove the victim yet.

At around midnight Dr. Peyton Driscoll arrives at the crime scene along with a young medical examiner assistant. Peyton is coming running down the hall to the apartment. She is soaked wet from the heavy rain that has started.

"I'm sorry we are late Flack. Three crime scenes within the last three hours. Busy night. This is my assistant medical student Sandy Winslow." Peyton introduces her new assistant who is a tall blonde guy in his mid 20. Flack quickly shakes hand with the young ME assistant before he turns his attention back to Peyton. "What do we have here, Flack?" Peyton asks while looking into the starts to inform her about the case.  
"are you going to stand there and complain about your job miss Driscoll or are you going to examine the body and remove it from my crime scene."

Quinn comes out of the apartment and takes off her mask and her gloves. Flack, Peyton, and the ME assistant are looking surprised at Quinn Shelby.

"excuse me. who do you think you are?" Peyton asks in shock about Quinn's entrance to the conversation.

"I am the crime scene investigator and I would have been half done by now if the body had been removed from the scene an hour ago. So if you are done complaining about your job then I think you should get to work so the rest of us can continue. There is a killer loose here and right now you standing out her chatting is helping him getting away. So should we get to work?"

Quinn walks over to a forensics assistant and hands over some evidence. Peyton looks shocked at Flack.

"who the hell is that?" Peyton whisper to Flack when they walk into the apartment to examine the body. "Macs new CSI." Peyton looks shocked at Flack. She can't believe mac would hire someone who is talking to his friends like that. _Maybe does not consider her his friend anymore?_ She thinks while she is waiting for her assistant to bring in the body bag to transport the victim.

 **Homicide division 7.30 am**

At around 7.30 flack finally, leaves the crime scene right after Quinn Shelby has left. Flack is now sitting in his chair at his desk and is exhausted.

"need some coffee detective?" Lovato's voice is heard from behind him. he turns around. And smiles when he sees places a cup of coffee from Starbucks on his desk.

"thanks." He says and takes a sip of his coffee. Black, exactly how he likes it. She is observing him.

"long night?" she asks. He looks around and then takes her hand and pulls her over to the interrogation room. There are only a few other detectives in the office right now. He pulls her in for a kiss.

"I thought we agreed not to do that while on duty." She whispers to him.

"I missed you." he whispers in her ear and then kisses her again.

"I missed you too. I was waiting for you last night."

While the two detectives are secretly kissing in the corner like secretive teenagers who is hiding from mom and dad, detective Shelby walks into the homicide division looking for Falck. She bumps into a uniformed officer and asks for detective Flack. The officer points her in the direction of the interrogation room. She walks over to the interrogation room. She stops when she sees flack is leaning down to kiss Lovato. She just stops and looks at them for a moment before she walks away.

 **Mac's office 8 AM**

Mac is coming into his office and is taking off his coat and walks to his desk when Quinn walks into his office.

"morning Quinn. Heard you worked late last night." Mac says. He is in a good mood this morning after spending and quiet and relaxed evening and night with Christine followed by relaxing breakfast before going to work. No stress and no work call for either of them which have been quite rare for them lately.

"I got back from the crime scene an hour ago."  
"I thought it was a domestic dispute turned into a homicide. Why did that take so long to process?" mac looks wondering at her while he is starting up his computer to get som paperwork done.

"there was some newbie who was busy complaining about her work so she slowed down the process with over an hour and some other inappropriate incidents at the scene that slowed me down. But it won't happen again, Mac."

Mac nods with a smile.

"that is good to hear. I know there is a lot of new techs here in the lab that hasn't quite gotten used to the process yet so we all need to show them a little patient for now." Mac says with a light chuckle. Quinns forced a little smile on her lips to convince Mac that she agrees with him. Mac starts to focus on paperwork. Quinn stands up and is about to leave but stops and turns around before opening the door.

"anything else?" Mac asks and looks up from his computer.

"yes." Quinn takes a seat again without waiting for Make to offer her to sit.

"I have noticed that that you and I have a slightly different point of view boundary at between what is professional and personal so now I want to ask you before I do anything wrong."

Mac is surprised about this change in her request for help on fitting in. mac likes that she is trying more to fit in with the rest fo the team. She has now been working her for about 3 weeks and he hat got a lot of complaints from Danny, Lindsay, Adam and Sheldon. But it is a positive sign that she is doing something to try to fit in.

"I appreciate that you are trying to fit in with the rest of the team. I got, to be honest with you, they had had trouble not seeing you as an inspector." Mac says with a little smile.

"I understand. I need to put the inspector away and try to be there teammate. That is why I need to ask you about this." She takes about before she continues. "over the last week I have noticed some inappropriate communication on the crime scenes such as some of the detectives and officers have answered personal phone calls at a crime scene. This morning I walk in on two who clearly was showing inappropriate behavior for a work office."

Mac smiles.

"Danny and Lindsay?" yeah sometimes they forget where they are and that there are other people around. You just tell them with a smile to save the argument for later or get a room or something. They are professional they realize it as soon as you remind them. They were woking together before they became a couple and they are very professional."

Quinn nods. "it is not detectives Messer and Monroe. It is just in general what your opinion would be about observing repeated inappropriate and… sexually characterized behavior between coworkers."

Mac can't help smiling. He has kinda gotten used to this kind of issues when Lindsay and Danny first started dating but it hasn't been an issue since they got Lucy and got married.

"Well have you told these two to be more professional."

"yes, several times over the past week," Quinn informs him.

"okay well if they don't stop and their behavior on crime scenes towards each other makes you and others uncomfortable then you should inform their supervisor so he could have a talk with them."

Quinn stands up. "thank you, Mac."

Quinn is about to walk out the door.

"Quinn…" Quinn turns around to face him. "let me know if there are any other issue or if theses two continues to make you feel uncomfortable."

"thanks, Mac." She says and then leaves the office. Mac just smiles. When He and Peyton first started to sneak around secretly and sneak a kiss when they thought no one was around and occasionally got busted in the autopsy by Sid or Dr. Hawkes no one complained about that. Neither did anyone when Lindsay and Danny were sneaking around like teenagers in love. Mac is sitting a little in his own thoughts thinking about what Quinn said about detectives answer personal phone calls while at a crime scene. All those times he has answered when Christine has called or texted him while he has been at a crime scene. Even yesterday he responded to a text from Christine while he was working on a crime scene with Hawkes and Adam.

The rest of the day Mac works on his huge stack of paperwork that has just grown bigger over the past month. While Jo and Adam have spent the day working on a young man OD in his apartment in a bad neighborhood. Lindsay and Hawkes work on a floater found in the Hudson and Danny is working on a homeless man found dead in some bushes in Central park while Quinn continues to work on the domestic dispute turn into a homicide case.

At around 5.30. Flack has found the victim's boyfriend who the victim was arguing with at the night of the crime. He has a background with a restraining order against an ex-fiance. an arrest for violence against a classmate in high school and the police have responded to multiple calls to 911 for domestic violence over the past two years where the suspect has been in a relationship with the victim. Flack has been in the interrogation room with the victim's boyfriend for 30 minutes. He claims that he has an alibi. Finally, Flack gives up and walks out of the integration room and asks an officer to book the guy so he can spend the night in a nice warm cell since he is still a suspect. Flack is walking over to Lovato who is sitting on his desk. "how is your case going, detective?" she asks. Flack can't help laughs. "my suspect has the best alibi ever. He was hooking up with a prostitute and he doesn't remember her name." they both starts laughing. "wow you are sure it is not Albert einstein you have sitting in there? With that alibi, he most has a genius IQ." Lovato laughs. After a while they both starts laughing and Lovato stands up. "so with your suspect rock solid alibi are you done for the day?" she stands closer to him with her lips temptingly close to his. He wraps his arms around her with his hands sliding down her back. "you have any idea for what to spend the rest of the day with, detective?" flack asks and kisses her.

"maybe. I can show you if you come over to my place later." She says in a flirty tone.

"okay." He says and gives her one last kiss before she walks away. He has a big smile on his face when he sits down and starts working on the impossible job of location a prostitute in New York City. They didn't realize that Detective Quinn Shelby was standing in the door to the department and saw where Flacks' hands were located on Lovato. Quinn walks over to Flack like she didn't see anything and give him the latest forensics update on the case and then walk away without comment on his sexual behavior towards detective Lovato.

 **Mac's apartment 6.30 pm**

When Mac enters his apartment an amazing smell is coming from the kitchen. He should have gotten used to coming home to an amazing smell from the kitchen every night by now since he has been living together with Christine for almost 6 months now. He takes off his shoes, his suit jacket, and his tie before he enters the kitchen. Christine is standing over the stove and tasting the sauce she is cooking. Her favorite music is playing from her iPod that is connected to a Bluetooth speaker on the dining table. Mac is just standing and watching her for a moment. He doesn't think she has seen him yet.

"are you just going to stand there Marine or are you coming over to kiss your fiancée who has missed you all day?" he can't help smiling thinking about how much he loves this woman. When they first moved in together I wasn't sure if he could get used to having someone in his home every day but now he would live without her. She looks over at him.

"earth to Mac," Christine says. Apparently, he got lost in his thoughts… again. He smiles and walks over and wraps his arms around her and kisses her.

"I love you and I missed you too today."

She smiles and gives him a quick kiss. "now get out of the kitchen." She demands and walks over to set the table. He smiles and steps out of her way and back to his favorite spot where he is out of her way but can still watch her.

"so how was your day? Since you were so busy you didn't text or call me all day?" she says and gives him a little accusing look.

"sorry love I was doing paperwork al day… well beside a really wired conversation I had with one of my team members." Mac walks over to take out a beer from the refrigerator.

"wired conversation about what?" she asks while she is taking the rice of the stove.

"about inappropriate behavior on crime scenes. I have a CSI who thinks checking texts or answering calls from a girlfriend while at a crime scene is inappropriate behavior." He takes a sip of his beer. Christine chuckles.

"then it is a good think you don't have a girlfriend."  
"yeah, I am lucky there. It is just… ridiculous."

Christine chuckles a little about his frustration. She places the food on the table and they sit down to have dinner.

Mac is laying in bed and reading a book when Christine comes out from the bathroom in one of his marineT-shirts. She is no longer wearing any kind of makeup. He really like her when she looks so relaxed. She lays down and sneaks under his arm and places her head on his chest. He puts the book away and rests his arm around her.  
"way is it so ridiculous that one of your team members thinks personal phone calls is inappropriate at a crime scene?"

"it is not. It's just. If chief Sinclair hears about it. If I don't deal with it, he is going to force me to have a sexual harassment seminar for the entire lab."

Christine starts laughing.

"don't laugh does are awful. All government agencies have one every year. No one likes them."

"Why not?" Christine asks. Mac clearly has a bad experience with sexual harassment seminars before.

"why?" Christine nods. "because it makes people go crazy. Suddenly it is considered inappropriate to look at a college of the other sex. It is harassment to touch someone. Even on the shoulder. A hug is made to sound like close to rape." Christine chuckles. "I mean sexual harassment seminars is made to prevent sexual harassment, not create false accusations about harassment towards any colleague you don't like."

Christine moves to lay on her stomach and lean up on her elbows.

"what are your experiences with sexual harassment seminars. You don't work for a government agency so how do you now about it?"

"the marines. As a marine, you are trained to that there is no difference between how to treat female and male officers. But as Officer in Charge, you are being taught how to treat female officers. Like we don't know that.

Christine chuckles. "I am sure young captain Taylor definitely knew how to treat female Marines."

Mac tries to look offend by her joke but can't help smile.

"I had a girlfriend back then you know."

"hmm… like you never looked at any female officer?"

Christine turns off her light and turns on her side with her bag to Mac.

"maybe I did, but have you ever heard about look don't touch?"

"I think that qualifies as sexual harassment, Captain Taylor." Mac reaches over and slides his hand over her cover and up her body. She turns to face him.

"that is differently Sexual harassment Detective."

He leans over her and place kisses on her neck and up to her lips.

 **7.30 am homicide division**

Flack comes in to his desk. He places his cup of coffee on his desk while he is taking of his jacket.

"detectiv Flack." A deep male voice is coming from behind him. Flack turns around. It is his captain that is calling him.

"would you come in her please?" the captain asks. Flack grabs his coffee and follows his captain into his office.

"sir I really don't have anything to rapport on the domestic disturbing case from yesterday yet. We are still looking for are prime suspects supposed alibi witness."

The captain doesn't say anything and takes a seat behind his desk and points to Flack to take a seat. The captain puts on his reading glasses and takes a letter from his desk.

"I received this letter last night Flack. I got complains about you detective Flack."

Flack look very confused.

 **9 Am crime lab**

Lindsay is working in the trace lab when Jo comes in. "hey Lindsay how is your case going?" jo asks in her always smiling happy mood.

"morning Jo. I am working on a floater in the Hudson and trying to get anything useable of a piece of wet paper in his pocket." Jo can't help laughs at Lindsay's description of her case. "my isn't any better. I have 20 drunk witnesses. One more unreliable than the others." Danny comes into the Lab.

"morning Jo. Morning Babe." Danny says and walks over to give Lindsay a kiss on the cheek. "what are you working on babe?" Danny asks.

"a floater in Hudson," Lindsay says and sounds tired.

"have any of you seen detective Flack today?" Quinn pokes her head into the lab.

"no." Lindsay and Jo says.

"oh, I just saw Flack he is not in a good mood. Maybe you should let him cool down a little." Danny says. Quinn nods and leaves.

"what is with Flack?" Jo asks.

"he seemed pretty upset. I came out from the principal's office." Danny says.

"flack?" Lindsay sound surprised. Flack is a straight up Detective. Dany nods.

"what did he do?" Jo asks.

"I don't know. I just saw him coming out from the captain's office and not looking happy."

"who is not looking Happy?" Mac's voice I heard from the door. Everyone turns to face him.

"Morning boss," Danny says before he leaves the trace lab.

10.30 am Homicide division

All morning Mac has heard talking in the Lab about Flack not being happy and that he got called into the Captain's office this morning so Mac decides to go check on his old friend. When Mac walks into the homicide division he sees Flack sitting at his desk working on a case. Multiple times he rubbed his temples. Mac has worked with Flack for years and knows that it is a sign of stress when he does that. Mac walks over to him.

"hey, Flack," Mac says and a casual tone.

"what now?" Flack snaps before he looks up and realize it is Mac.

"oh hey, Mac."

Mac just looks at Flack with raised eyebrows. Flack nods that means _you need to explain here buddy._ Flack nods.

"come on let's go for a walk. It looks like you could use it."

Mac gives him a pad on the shoulder. Flack nods and stands up and take his coat and walks out with Mac.

When they get to the street they just walk for a few minutes without a word. Suddenly Mac stops.

"Don what is going on?" Mac asks. Mac is not asking him as a colleague but as his friend who knows when something is up. Flack release a heavy sign and looks down to the grown.

"I got a complaint this morning."

Mac doesn't say anything waiting for Flack to continue.

"apparently several female colleagues find my behavior towards them at crime scenes sexual characterized and inappropriate and the way I talk to my colleagues make them uncomfortable."

After a moment Mac recognizes that description from Quinn yesterday.

"do you know how has complained?" Mac asks without showing to Flack that he think he knows how complaint.

"no according to the complaint it sounds like every female employee in the department is finding me sexual harassing." Flack looks straight at Mac. "Mac… I really don't know what I have done or said wrong to anyone?"

Mac leans a hand on his shoulder.

"sometimes you there are nothing you can do."

"but… if my female colleagues find my behavior inappropriate I need to know what I do wrong."

Mac nods and gives Flack a pad on the shoulder. Mac can sense that it is not only the harassment complaint that is bothering him.

"what is on your mind, Don?"

Mac asks. Flack looks at him with a confused look. Mac is just staring at him with a raised eyebrows. Flack knows that Mac already knows that something else Is on his mind too.

"Jamie… Lovato… she dumped me…" Flack says and then starts walking and Mac follows him in silences.

"well… she didn't dump me but… she told me after I told her about the complaint that maybe we should take a break. What the Hell does that even mean?" Flack asks in frustration and stops to look at Mac.

"you two see each other every day both at work and at home?" Mac asks. flack smiles.

"yeah. I really like her. She is amazing. I am…" Flack look down at his coffee cup again. "I mean… I was supposed to meet her brothers next Saturday. That kinda makes it official."

Mac smiles at his friend's insecurity. He hasn't seemed him this insecure with a woman for a very long time.

"relax buddy. I'm sure this will be worked out before Saturday." Mac gives him an optimistic smile and a pad on the shoulder.

"thanks, Mac."

Mac comes back up to the crime lab after his talk with Flack. He has gotten a copy of the harassment complaint letter from Flack. Mac walks past by Danny, Hawkes, and Adam when he almost runs out of the elevator and into his office without a word.

"is everyone in a bad mood today?" Danny asks.

Mac takes a seat in his chair and starts reading the harassment complaint.

 _I am writing this letter to complain about several unfortunate incidents that recently happened at several crime scenes. I have witnessed several episodes of sexual characterized physical contact addressed towards female employees. This employee's name is Donald Flack Junior._

 _The latest incident was yesterday Wednesday march 25. When I walked into the homicide division and witnessed detective Flack sexually sliding his hands down a female employees bag._

 _Inappropriate languages such as calling female employees babe and asking female colleagues about late night sexual activities have happened several times over the past few weeks._

 _It is unprofessional and uncomfortable to be around and several female colleagues find it uncomfortable to be alone with detective Flack._

 _I am writing this letter because Detective Flack needs the proper punishment for sexual harassment. I would like to be able to work on a crime scene in a comfortable work environment with both male and female colleagues. Or work with a different, more respectable Detective. I feel that he should participate in some form of sensitivity seminar._

Mac gets angry at Quinn just by reading it. She can't believe that there would be any other female employee that would have a problem with Flack and Mac has a feeling that the incident with touching a female employee sexually or asking flirting question has most likely been to Detective Lovato – Flack's girlfriend.

Mac's phone starts buzzing. He takes it out of his pocket and sees it is a text from Christine. _I was thinking of you and something we could do tonight when you get home._ Shortly after another text comes from her _is that sexual harassment detective?_ Mac can't help smiling.

"it seems like you are having an okay said you were pissed off too." Jo is standing in the door. She walks in and closes the door.

"I was… or I am. Flack has been accused of sexual harassment."

Jo looks shocked. "you mean our Flack?" jo asks. Mac nods and holds up the letter.

"that is outrages. The only one Flack would be sexual harassing is Lovato." Jo starts laughing. "and I don't think that is considered harassment when it is consensual."

Mac shakes his head in disbelief.

"its… I don't even know what it is."

"what is going to happen to him?"

"he was called into the captain's office this morning. They are talking about sexual harassment seminar."

JO look shocked. Then Adam comes running into the office. He almost runs into the glass door.

"Boss. Sorry Jo…"

"Adam…" Adam looks over at Mac. "try to open the door first next time." Mac says with a light smile. Jo giggles. " what do you have Adam?" Jo asks.

"I think I found our victims ID. Not false ID but his actual ID. He is a student at Columbia university."

Jo gets up from the chair.

"great work Lovato lets go talk some of the teachers and students." Adam leaves the office. Before Jo Leaves the office she turns back to Mac.

"let me know if there is anything I can do."

Mac nods in an appreciation.

"thanks, Jo."

Mac is sitting in his office for a while consider his next move in how to approach Quinn with this or if he should approach Quinn at all. Before Quinn leave for her lunch break she pokes her head into his office.

"hey, Mac. Is everything okay? You have been stirring out the window for an hour. I know it is a beautiful city but you should have gotten used to the view by now." She says with a small laugh. Mac doesn't laugh at her joke.

"okay Mac what is going on?" she walks into his office and closes the door.

"you can tell me." He says in a harsh tone. She looks confused. He holds up the copy of the sexual harassment complaint.

"what the Hell were you Thinking Quinn?" Mac is standing up and walking around. He can't contain his anger anymore.

"I did what you told me to do, Mac." Mac is just stirring at her with clear anger.

"YOU ACCUSED MY FRIEND OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT!"

"Mac. I have asked him to stop several times. I find it very inappropriate when he slides his hands down the back and touches the ass of a female colleague. When he answers calls from his girlfriend on a crime scene and talk about nightly activities while everyone else can hear it. Yesterday afternoon when I walked into the homicide division to give him information about our case he was kissing a colleague."

"Jamie Lovato?" Mac asks. Quinn is surprised that Mac even knows who it is.

"yes. Are you aware of it? If you knew about his inappropriate behavior towards his much younger inexperienced colleague, why didn't you do anything about it?" she asks.

"okay first: Lovato mya be young but she is a damn good detective. Second, she is Detectives Flack's girlfriend. Not a secret. If anyone finds their conversations inappropriate we just tell them."

Quinn nods.

"what about all your young CSI techs where he is looking at their asses.

Mac giggles.

"okay, Quinn relax. He is a man. They are young beautiful women. Yesterday I heard some of them in the lab talk about him. he is a handsome man. There is nothing wrong with that."

"hmm…" Quinn says. "I remember when I was looking at a handsome male colleague. I almost got fired."

"there are a difference between looking and kissing, Quinn."

"I didn't kiss you until after I quit."

"no, but you were flirting with me in front of my wife, Quinn."

Mac says a little harsh.

"so what now… I apologize to detective Flack for him making me uncomfortable around him at a crime scene and then we just move on?"

"you could try just tell him that you find his behavior inappropriate and you could have a talk about what to do differently to be able to work together?"

Quinn shakes her head in disbelief.

"I told you, Mac. I tried to talk to him. that didn't work."

"Quinn my team might be doing things differently but we do a great job. Fix this mess Quinn."

Quinn doesn't say anything before she leaves.

At around 7.30 pm Mac is about to leave his office. Lindsay is still working the floater case. Danny's case turn out to be natural causes and Jo and Adams case turn out to be girlfriends jealous ex-boyfriend who had proisent the victim. Mac closes his computer and stands up to put on his Jacket when Flack comes into his office.

"hey, Man you have a minute?" Mac turns to identify his visitor.

"sure Flack. Flack looks much happier than he did earlier.

"Whats up?"

"the complaint has been withdrawn. Apparently, it was a misunderstanding."

Mac looks surprised.

"that… is great. I guess."

"yeah, it is. Whatever you did. Thanks, man."

"I'm not sure I did anything."

They leave the office together and walks towards the elevator.

"hey, you want to go for a beer?" Mac asks.

"sorry man next time. I got plans with Jamie."

He can't stop smiling. Mac recognizes that grin on his face.

"sure. Have fun."

When they get to the main floor their ways separate and Flack meets up with Lovato.

"see ya tomorrow Mac."

Flacks wave a hand in goodbye before he leaves with his girlfriend.


	6. chapter 6 - the new ME - part 1

The new Medical Examiner – part 1

 _This chapter is jumping in time. There is a little flashback. Hope it make sense. Please comment if you like it._

 **1.5 months earlier**

Mac and the rest of the team are out for a beer after hours. It is Sid's last day before he goes away on sick leave for receive cancer treatment at a clinic in California. Everyone is trying to keep the mood up for Sid.

"so Sid who is going to take over for you while you are on vacation?" Danny asks.

"how about you Hawkes?" Jo asks.

"why should I be punished?" Hawkes asks.

"come on Hawkes you miss it, admit it," Sid says. Hawkes kinda have to admit that sometimes he really does miss being in the MEs office.

"maybe sometimes. Not having Mac bossing me around was definitely a bonus." Hawkes says with a smile and everyone starts laughing.

"so who is the new temporary ME, Sid?" JO asks when everyone stops laughing at Hawkes joke.

"it is someone you all know. She is professional and really great."  
everyone is looking confused. Mac is trying to Figure out. It can't be their former ME and Mac's ex-girlfriend Peyton Driscoll because Sid said it was someone everyone knows and Jo hasn't meet Peyton before.

"well, actually Hawkes I would like to ask you if you could be my replacement for just the next 6 weeks because my replacement can't start until then."

Everyone looks at Hawkes.

"of cause Sid."

Sid nods in thanks.

"I did consider at first to move the start of my treatment until she could come but then it wasn't sure that I could get into the treatment Center.

"Sid don't worry about it. Hawkes can be in Autopsy. I can still boss around with him and Sinclair has been bossing with me to get me to hire a new CSI. So we will be okay until you come back." Mac says.

Sid raises his glass.

"thanks, all of you."

Everyone cheers for Sid and wish him good luck with his cancer treatment.

 **Present time**

Today is Hawkes last day as temporary ME. Tomorrow is the day where the new replacement for Sid is coming. Everyone has been guessing who it could be.

It is Sunday morning and Mac woke up early. He couldn't sleep so instead of moving around and risk waking up Christine he decided to go for a morning run and then stop to bring breakfast home at around 8.30.

It is a cold march morning in New York City. Mac has been on his run for about 1.30 hour now. He is on his way home. He walks out from the bakery that is about 2 blocks from his apartment. He is walking down the street when he sees the ME van park on the street. Mac walks over there to meet Hawkes. The ME assistant Sandy Winslow who has now been an ME assistant for 1 month under Hawkes. He is doing great according to Hawkes and Mac has also noticed his eyes for details.

"morning Detective Taylor." Sandy Greets when he gets out of the van.

"morning Sandy. Where is Sheldon?"

"dr. Hawkes is home sick today, Detective."

Mac looks confused.

"who is with you?"

"the new ME sir. She is already inside. Are you the CSI on the scene?" Sandy asks.

"no. no one else is here?" mac asks confused.

"no. we have been her for 5 minutes no one is here."  
Lindsay has been home with Jack and Lucy who has both been sick the last few days. Hawkes has had a little cold lately but not so bad that he couldn't go to work and JO has been at a forensics convention so they have been a little shorthanded the last few days. Mac walks inside to meet the new ME. There is a police officer at the door.

"good morning Detective Taylor." The officer greets.

"where is the detective on the case?" Mac asks.

"detective Lovato is on her way, sir."

Mac nods and the put on his gloves before he enters the crime scene. He walks into an apartment and into the bedroom where a man in his 40 is dead on the floor. Bend over a buddy is a woman in a blue ME jumpsuit with brown hair in a ponytail. There are lots of high-velocity blood spatter on the walls and all over the room.

"morning Dr." Mac greets. The woman stands up and turns around. It is Peyton Driscoll. She is wearing a mask. She takes off her mask and smiles at him.

"morning Mac. It is great to see you again."

mac look around at the crime scene and at the body.

"what are you preliminary COD?"

Peyton nods and bends down to the victim again Mac kneel down next to her.

"there is no visible trauma to the body. I can't tell you anything before I get him back to the office."

Mac is walking around in the room and looking to see if he can find any signs of bullet holes.

"Mac don't touch anything."

Mac looks confused at her.

"why?"

"look at his eyes. I am calling the CDC. I think this is a viral epidemic. Could be a chemical virus."

Peyton takes out her phone and calls CDC while Mac tells the officer at the door to step away and close the door.

20 minutes later the CDC response team is at the scene and Mac and Peyton are being securely transported out of the building and to a hospital quarantine. Jo and the rest of the team arrive at the scene few minutes after Mac and Peyton have been transported away.

"what happened here?" Jo asks in frustration.

The leader of the CDC teams walks over to them.

"CSI Danville?" he asks.

"yes. Any idea what we are dealing with?"

"I'm CDC leader Walker. It looks like a virus. We are cleaning the house right now. The ME and the detective at the scene are being transported to treatment now."

"the CSI? Who was that?"

"a CSI Taylor?" Jo looks choked.

"it was Macs day off. What was he even doing her?" Danny asks.

"I should have been on the scene I overslept," Quinn explains.

"Mac lives only 2 blocks that way we could go talk to Christine ask her way he was here and also inform her about what is going on if she doesn't already know," Lindsay says. Jo nods.

"yes. Hawkes, I need you as ME. The new ME has been quarantined with Mac. Danny, you and Lindsay go to Christine get him some clean clothing and…

"we know the protocol, Jo," Danny says before he and Lindsay leave the scene again.

The CDC leader Walker comes over to JO. "detective Danville do you know if your CSI removed anything from the crime scene?"

"Mac is professional he would have taken anything out of the scene."

"okay, we are going to have to kill all leaving organism with UV light before you can access the scene."

"okay."

"in the ME." Hawkes introduces himself.

"suit up over here." Walk leads him over to get in a suit so he can enter the crime scene.

 **Macs apartment**

Christine has just finished her shower. She is waiting for Mac to come home with breakfast like he always does when he wakes up early and leaves for a run. Christine is coming out of the bathroom with wet hair and in Macs t/shirt when it rings on the door. She laughs and walks to the door to open.

"really Mac Taylor you are the most…"

She stops when she sees Danny and Lindsay outside.

"hey, guys." She simply says.

"morning Christine can we come in?" Danny asks.

"yeah but Mac is out for a run. He should be back anytime soon."

She let them in.

"I'm afraid he won't," Lindsay says. Christine looks shocked at them.

"what happened to him? is he dead?"

"no no. don't worry. He was at a crime scene two blocks away. Do you know what he was doing there?"

Christine is confused.

"no. I thought he went for a run and then went to pick up breakfast on the way home. He does that sometimes. It was his day off why would he be at a crime scene?"

"we don't know do you know where the place is he pick up breakfast?"

"a small bakery just three blocks away from here." Christine finds her phone to find the exact address for the bakery and shows it to Danny.

"boom. Crime scene right between home and bakery."

"he walked by the crime scene saw no CSI o the scene started the preliminary to Quinn arrived."

"Mac shouldn't even have been there," Danny says.

"Okay English please. Where is Mac? What happened to him? is he okay? Can I talk to him?" Christine asks in frustration over not understanding what is going on. Danny and Lindsay share a concerned look before Lindsay starts explaining to Christine.

"it is possible that Mac has been exposed to a chemical virus. He is Quarantined at the hospital right now until they find out what he was exposed to. You can't see him because you could get affected too."

Christine sits down on the couch. She is in shock. They had planned to spend the day together. Just relaxing. Just the two of them and start wedding plans. Lindsay takes a seat and leans her arms around her.

"Mac is going to be fine, Christine," Lindsay says. Danny looks up at Lindsay with a look that says _don't give her false hope._

"Christine we will keep you updated as soon we know anything. But it can take up to two before we actually know if he has been affected and in worst case what he has been affected with."

"is he alone?" Christine asks in between her tears.

"no, our new ME Peyton Driscoll is quarantined too. She is an old friend of Mac."

"if he is affected is he going to die?" she asks trying to sound more rational than she feels.

"don't go there, Christine," Lindsay says.

"If Lucy was here she should say _no one beats Mac,"_ Danny says. They all starts laughing a little.

"yeah, Lucy is right." Christine stands up.

"okay, what do you guys need from me?"

"we need to know if he has gotten any cuts or bruises lately," Danny says more like a cup now.

Christine smiles little.

"he cut himself last night during shaving. It happens when he gets distracted." Christine looks at a picture of him and Mac he has on his work desk in the living room.

"sometimes he focused like goldfish." Christine laughs. "he always blames on me. Saying that I am distracting him."

Lindsay and Danny look at each other with a smile.

"that is strangely enough also what we experience at the lab," Danny says. Christin look surprised. Danny explains. "he is clearly distracted when he get a text from you."

"but it is a really good thing. He is really happy. We like him better that way." Lindsay says. Christine smiles.

"so Christine we also need to bring some clean clothing for him. something relaxed." Danny says.

Christine walks into the bedroom and finds a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants and a cardigan. She puts it all in a plastic bag and walks out to the two detectives in the living room. She grabs the picture from his desk.

"that is his favorite I think. He always looks at it when he is frustrated about work." Christine explains.

"Christine I think that any picture of you and him is his favorite," Danny says. "I have known Mac for many years and for a really long time he didn't have any pictures in his office that was any kind of personal. Now he has pictures of what he calls his two favorite girls." Danny says.

"me and Lucy?" Christine asks with a little chuckle. Danny nods.

"yeah, I didn't think in the beginning that Lucy would accept sharing the title as Macs favorite girl with anyone, but…"

"she really adores you." Lindsay finishes Danny's sentences.

"thanks, guys."

Hospital quarantine

Mac and Peyton are placed in a room made of plastic. They are finally out of the safety suits. There are a bed and a desk and a chair in each 'room'. Mac sits down on his bed.

"so what are we going to do now? I feel like being 15 again. Being ground for sneaking out."  
Peyton laughs.

"you being grounded? Why do I find it hard to believe that the perfect Mac Taylor was a rebel kid."

"oh trust me. If you knew how many times my mom have told me 'you are ground until you get off to college, young man'."

Peyton starts laughing again.

"I really can't image you as a rebel teenager. What did you get grounded for?"

"sneaking out of my bedroom window and go out with my girlfriend. A secret girlfriend who had tattoos which were a total no go from my dad. Making science experiments with electricity in the garage a scared the hell out of my mom and when my mom had told me not to go do anything stupid and then I did and was injured… well doing something stupid is a subjective definition so it depends on how you rate do something stupid."

"I'm sure teenager Mac Taylor knew what do anything stupid meant by his mom's definition."

"yeah, I did."

Peyton stops laughing. Mac just stares at the ceiling.

"it's funny. We have known each other for so many years but I never knew any of this."

Mac looks over at Peyton.

"maybe because we never really talked when we were together," Mac says.

"yeah. I missed my opportunity to get to know the real rebel Mac Taylor."  
mac chuckles. "I'm not a rebel."

"says the guy who blow up his own lab."

Mac sits up fast to face her.

"every big scientist in the history has at some point blow up his own lab." He says in a defensive tone before a smile spreads on his face. Peyton just laughs and shakes her head in disbelief.

"Mac Taylor you are unbelievable."  
she looks into his eyes.

"I can't believe it would take that we got quarantined before we were actually able to talk. I really missed you, Mac."

 **Crime lab 9.30 pm**

"okay thank you." Jo hangs up on her phone and walks into the conference room where everyone else is.

"we just got confirmed that the victim was affected wit…" Jo needs to get herself together before she can be the strong leader she needs to be. "with Ebola."

Everyone is choked about the news.

"do we know the sources for the virus?" Hawkes asks.

"no. vi don't know anything because we don't have an ID on our victim yet." JO says a little frustrated about the slow process of the case.

"I will call the hospital and get an update on Mac and Peyton." Sheldon leaves the room.

"has everyone else wondered how it must be for Mac that Peyton comes back after years and then they get quarantined together?"

Adam asks.

"yeah I'm sure Mac enjoys being locked in a plastic box with his ex-girlfriend that dumped him twice," Lindsay says sarcastically and leaves the room.

 **Hospital Quarantine 9.40 pm**

Mac is in a light sleep when a male doctor enters his room to take some test.

"detective Taylor?" the doctor says to try to wake him up.

"that doesn't work," Peyton says. "MAC TAYLOR if you don't…"

Mac opens his eyes and looks at her with a serious look.

"if you even think about finishing that sentences you are in trouble." He warns her. He looks up at the doctor.

"why are women in my life always waking me up when I am most comfortable?"

"guess it's a lady thing." The doctor says with a smile.

"you got some good news for us, doctor?" Mac asks.

"unfortunately I got bad news for you. We have identified the virus. It is… ebola."

Mac swallows hard and then nods.

"okay. Are we infected?" he asks rational as the detective he is.

"we don't know yet. Unfortunately, we got some bad news from your girlfriend... that you cut yourself doing shaving the other night that means…"  
"I have a bigger change for being infected because of the direct access?"

"yes, unfortunately. So we are going to have to make some more test on you. Which also means that you too can't have any contact. In the case on of you is not affected and the other on is."

Mac nods in understanding.

"detective am going to ask you If you have had any kind of physical contact with anyone since you suspected you had gotten affected?"

"no. I have a girlfriend but I haven seen or talked to her since we suspected infection."

"okay. Are you aware of how the virus spreads?"

"yes, buddy fluids," Mac says.

"yes. So we are going to take some more blood test but normally the symptoms of the infection show between 2 and 21 days after the virus has entered your body. So we are going to have a nurse watching you guys all night. And you both need to inform us if you have symptoms like a sudden onset of fever fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat."

Mac and Peyton nod in understanding.

"yes, doctor."

"okay, good night." The doctor leaves the room. Shortly after three nurses comes in to take som blood samples from both of them before they both can get some sleep. When the nurses have left they both lays down in their beds again. They both look up at the ceiling.

"so you have a girlfriend? She is a lucky woman. I hope she knows that."

Mac chuckles.

"I'm the lucky one. She is amazing. She has helped me become a better me."

Peyton knows she should feel happy for him but she still feels a little bit of jealousy in her stomach.

 **at Mac and Christine's apartment**

Christine is sitting in bed and looking at Macs empty side of the bed. She takes her phone and looks at her picture she has of Mac on her front page. She decides to send him a text even though he probably doesn't have his phone right now. 'I miss you. Please come home soon.' She sends the text and then places her phone on the nightstand. Then she leans over and lays her head on his pillow. She reaches over and takes his teddy bear that is sitting on his nightstand and sleeps with it for the night.

 **Monday morning hospital quarantine**

Mac is laying in the bed in the hospital quarantine. He has been awake for hours. He didn't realize he would miss Christine just after one night without her next to him but he has gotten so used to her being next to him and her head resting on his chest every night that he has difficulties sleeping without her.

Peyton is also laying awake. She can't stop thinking about what Mac said last night about his girlfriend. That she has made him a better person. He has always been the most amazing man she has ever known. _Has his new girlfriend changed him? maybe it is that doctor Hunter that he was dating last time she saw him. flirting with a patient? Isn't that against the rules?_

Peyton's thoughts get interrupted when the doctor enters their room.

"good morning. I have a laptop for each of you and a cell phone and Detective Taylor, Detective Danville asked me to bring you this." She hands Mac the picture Christine placed in the bag with his clothing. Mac looks at it and smiles.

"thank you."

"it is against the rules but she told me that it was very important."

"thank you," Mac says and sits down on his bed. The nurse places the computer and the cellphone on his table. He is just looking at the picture for a while.

"I miss you." He mumbles while he is looking at Christine smiling at him on the picture. Peyton is watching him. she wishes that she was the one on the picture he would look at like that. It has been a long time since he looked at her with those eyes felt with sincerity.

A few hours later Mac is on facetime with his team. They are all concerned about both of them.

"are any of you showing any symptoms yet?" Dr. Hawkes asks.

"no none of us have any symptoms yet," Mac says but then he starts coughing.

"mac one of the symptoms is coughing," Hawkes says.

"Christine had a could last week she probably transferred it to me. I'm fine." Mac sounds insisting.

"mac…"

"I'm fine Sheldon. How is the case going?"

"we have ID the victim. His name is James Hopkins. He was married to a doctor Shanan Hopkins. No kids. The wife died three yeas ago. He was a teacher in a high school." Lindsay informs Mac.

"nothing about this guy screams biochemical terror," Danny concludes.

"that doesn't make any sense. Keep looking there gotta be something." Mac says.

They all nods. Quinn stands up.

"everyone, can I please talk to Mac alone for a moment?" Quinn asks. Everyone looks confused and then Jo signals that they should all leave the room. When everyone has left the room Quin walks closer to the screen.

"Mac I'm sorry. It should be me in there not you."  
"What the Hell happened Quinn? Why weren't you at the scene?"

"i…" Quinn looks down embarrassed about the truth.

"I went out for a beer with Jo last night. I meet someone and I overslept this morning so I didn't hear the call."

"goddamit, Quinn," Mac says.

"I'm sorry Mac." She sounds sincere when she apologizes.

"that just doesn't do it this time Quinn." Mac tries to keep his cool. "I gotta go Quinn." Mac hangs up. He stands up and walks around within his little plastic cube. He is angry. It is the worst reason possible. It is bad enough that he is Quarantined. He is quarantined with his ex-girlfriend. That dumped him twice. He was at a crime scene that wasn't even his because a colleague who has a crush on him went out drinking the night before to get over him because he turned down a beer invitation for a movie night at home with his fiancee. Can this day be much worst?

While Mac is walking around to calm himself down he starts feeling a headache. He felt it earlier but not as much as now. He starts feeling dizzy and suddenly he is unconscious.


	7. Chapter 7 - the new ME - part 2

The new Medical Examiner – part 2

Mac and Peyton have now been quarantined for 5 days. The team has been working nonstop on the case. The case has been stuck since they can't find motive for the crime or any way that the virus is connected to the victim.

It is Friday morning. Quinn is sitting in the breakroom. She has a breakfast burrito in front of her but she isn't eating. She is staring out of the window. Jo comes in and sits down across from her.

"morning Quinn. Have you gotten some sleep?" she asks.

Quinn look confused. "sorry what? Oh, morning Jo. No, I haven't been home. I can't go home until I solve this case."

"Quinn we are all going to solve this case together and getting Mac and Peyton back."

JO walks over to the coffee machine and makes herself a cup of coffee.

"I think he is firing me, Jo," Quinn says. Jo look surprised at her.

"who is firing you?" she takes a seat again across from Quinn.

"Mac. I think Mac is going to fire me."

Jo smiles. "no he is not. He is frustrated right now about his situation but as soon as he gets out of here he will be back to good old happy Mac."

Quinn shakes her head. "I don't think so, Jo. Mac is really upset with me. I failed to show up to a crime scene because I was drunk. That is unforgivable in Macs book."

"Mac is not as tough as he sounds. He is a good man."

Quinn shakes her head.

"mac fired his best CSI because she considered tampering with evidence. She didn't go through with it but he still fired her. I didn't show up at a crime scene and he got quarantined."

Jo didn't know that Mac had ever fired anyone. She has heard the story about the young CSI Aiden Burn who got murdered by a serial killer but she didn't know that Mac had fired her.

"I didn't know that Mac had fired a CSI but I'm sure he is not going to fire you."

"I don't like me," Quinn says while she is staring out of the window.

"what makes you think that?"

"I know. I worked for him when he first became the head of the new york crime lab. I admit I had a pretty big crush on him back then. And honestly, I didn't do much to hide it."

Jo smiles.

"every woman has a crush on Mac. He is a handsome man god sake there are nothing wrong with that."

Jo gives her a little pad on the shoulder.

"I know but I obviously hit on him in front of his wife back then."

They both starts laughing.

"sometimes I think if it was his wife that made him not choose me as his assistant supervisor and made him choose a newbi instead."  
"a newbi?" jo asks.

"yeah, some Stella Bona… something."

"Detective Bonasera was not a newbie. She was one of the great CSI's this lab has ever had. She is now a lab director in New Orleans. So please show som respect for her. She is our friend." Adam has been standing in the door and heard their conversation. He takes and apple.

"am I allow to get something to eat today Detective Shelby?" Adam asks before he waiting for an answer from her. Jo looks shocked after him and then very apologizing to Quinn.

"I'm sorry about that Quinn. We are all under a lot of stress right now."  
"he is right. It's my own fault that no one here likes me. Mac has built this team as a family. Apparently, everyone knows everything about everyone. Even that Mac had something going with the new ME years ago?"

JO look very surprised.

"mac and the new ME?" jo asks and starts laughing. "no way."

"according to Lindsay and Adam they had a relationship a few years ago."

Jo is surprised.

"I did not see that coming."

"well, Mac has changed a lot since I first worked for him. back then he had a very strict policy against any kind of romantic relationship between coworkers."

"well, he definitely doesn't have that opinion anymore," Jo says with a smile and then leaves Quinn alone in the breakroom.

 **Hospital quarantine (day 5)**

Mac and Peyton have now been quarantined for 5 dayes. Mac is coughing a lot. He has a headache. The first day he passed out. Mac believes that it was just stressed from the hole quarantine that knocked him out. The doctors have been taking a lot of test on him but so far there has been no sign of the ebola virus in his system even though he shows the symptoms. JO has forbidden Mac and Peyton to help on the case. She insists that they just focus on staying healthy.

Mac is laying in his bed and looking at the picture Christine put in the bag with his clothing. Peyton is just watching him for awhile.

"if you want to ask something. Then ask. When did you become shy?"

Peyton smiles. "okay." She sits up in her bed.

"how long have you been together with your girlfriend?"

Mac chuckles.

"three years now. We live together now. I never thought I would ever live with someone again, but… she has just changed me." Mac can't help smiles when he thinks of how much better his life has been since Christine came into his life again. Peyton does not like the sound of someone has changed Mac. Why would someone do that? He is the sweets kindest most handsome and selfless man she has ever meet.

 **Crime lab Saturday morning 9.30 am**

 **The team is on the video conferences with Mac. They have finally got a break in the case.**

"so Mac we found a connection between the victim and the virus. The victim's wife was a doctor. She was emergency send to Africa with doctors without borders after the Ebola outbreak 6 months ago. She was one of the first doctors that were sent to west Africa to help stop the epidemic. When she came home she started showing signs of the virus. Coughing, headache, and other more severe symptoms. No one took her symptoms seriously. She died but no one wanted to honor her for all the life she saved down there. She was practically a forgotten hero, Mac." Hawkes explains.

"Adam found an article on the victim's computer about the work his wife did but no one wanted to public it," Lindsay explains.

"he wanted the country to know what his wife did. She deserved the same honor as our troops but because she wasn't in a war with guns no one wanted to give her that?" mas asks. The team nods. Mac shakes his head in disbelief.

"that he so wrong."

Adam comes running into the conference room.

"I found something." Adam sees Mac on the screen.

"oh hey, boss. How are you doing?"

"oh you know I really needed this vacation so it is nice." Adam looks confused at Mac's sarcasm that he clearly don't understand. "what do you get Adam?"

"oh yeah right." Adam looks at his tablet his has in his hand.

"o I found another document on the computer. It was erased… after the victim died."

Adam pulls it up on the screen text to Macs video feed. "so according to this, I wanted to honor his wife by committing suicide the same way she died. It seems to be a letter he wrote to his deceased wife to honor her. Kinda like the article. This is just more personal."

"that make sense he wanted to honor her."  
"yeah, but committing suicide with Ebola? That is not a peaceful way to go." Dr. Hawkes says.

""Seldon you have never been married."

"no," Hawkes says. Not quite sure where this is going.

"when you love someone who sacrifices their life for others and then get disrespected after their death then you are willing to do whatever it takes to honor them." Hawkes is a little embarrassed about his earlier statement.

"I'm sorry Mac. I didn't think about that."

"I have seen fellow Marines who died in combat and then afterward has ben dishonored by getting their names smeared by politics. Because war is messy but politic wants someone to blame. Who is easier than a dead marine or a dead doctor? Some of their families are willing to do whatever it takes to honor their fallen family member."

Everyone is silent when Mac explains. They know that every case involving a grieving spouse or fallen Hero is hitting close to home for Mac.

"there are actually also a piece of paper Lindsay found on the crime scene it was soaked in blood so it took some time so get the text out. It is an apology note to the emergency response team. He tells us that the virus is only deadly in the fluid within the first 24 hours after the fluid has left the body."

"so this guy didn't mean to effect anyone else?" Danny asks.

"wait a second," Peyton says from behind Macs computer. He turns the camera.

"I estimated the time of death at the scene to be 48 hours. That means we couldn't have been infected." Peyton says. Everyone look relieved about that news but they still have to make 100 % sure with the team at the hospital before Peyton and Mac can be released.

"Lindsay?" Mac says and turns the camera back on himself.

"yes," Lindsay says and steps a little closer to the screen.

"could you do me a personal favor? Tell Christine what is going on?" he asks. Lindsay nods. Danny steps up next to Lindsay and leans his arm around her.

"relax buddy. We already got that covered. We have been keeping her updated every day."

Mac exhales in clearly relive. "thanks, guys. You are the best."

"hey, buddy remember when I started working here. We used to say that the team wasn't complete without Claire because you wasn't complete without claire?" Danny asks. Mac nods.

"it's the same with Christine. She is part of the team too."

Mac smiles.

"thanks, guys. I will be back too to boss you asses around so get to work."  
everyone starts laughing.

"copy that boss," Danny says and then they hang up.

Everyone is still laughing about Mac's last comment except for Quinn.

"I don't remember his wife being a part of the team when I first worked here." She says and looks at Danny, Hawkes, and Sheldon who was the only ones of the current team who also worked for Mac back then.

"that was after you quit," Danny explains.

"whenever we had BBQ party or any kind of after hour beer Claire would always come too," Don says before he leaves the room.

 **Sunday 6.30 pm crime lab**

the team found out that it was the victim's son that had erased the file on the computer. He was found dead in his apartment when the police came to arrest him. he had been infected when he had found out that his father had committed suicide.

"so case closed." Jo says when Don has explained to them that the suspect had died of the virus also. "great work everyone. Now we are just waiting for Mac to come back." Jo says.

"yeah about that. He is just going to come back and boss us all around. Couldn't he wait for a few with coming back?" Danny asks clearly joking.

"I heard that detective Messer."

Everyone get spooked by Mac who is suddenly appear in the door.

"Mac? Welcome Back." Lindsay stands up and is the first one to hug Mac. We missed you."

After they break the hug Mac looks over at Danny. He is sitting with his feet on the table.

"yeah, it definitely sounds and looks like your husband missed me."

Danny is leaned back n his chair with his hands behind his head and his feet on the table. He rushes to take down his feet from the table and almost fall backward in the rush. Everyone starts laughing.

"Maggi…" a little girls voice is coming from the elevator. Mac turns around and sees Lucy with a big smile on her face running towards him followed by Christine who is carrying his baby godson Jack.

"hey, Lucy." Mac takes Lucy up to hug her. But shortly after the hug Lucy pulls away from him and fight to get down.

"you are scratchy, Mac." Lucy sounds upset and walks into her mom.

"I missed you too, lucy."

Everyone is laughing.

"it is not Funny dad. Mac is scratchy so I don't want to hug him." Lucy sounds offended.

"sorry Lucy. It is not funny."  
"hey there Handsome." Christine's voice is heard from behind him. he turns around to face her with a big smile.

"hey." He hugs her with one arm and gives her a kiss.

"lucy is right. you are scratchy today."  
"they have been making more test on me the past two days than a lab rat is exposed to its entire life. So excuse me for not having time so shave. And by the way what happened to you like when I haven't shaved."  
"one day not shaved – looks kinda good. Two days not shaving – just scratchy."

"you are not easy to satisfy. You know that?"

Christine just smiles at him and nods. Mac takes baby Jack in his arms.

"what about you Jack. Do you complain as must as Christine and your sister?"

Jack is busy chewing on his favorite teddy bear.

"Nah Jack. It just the girls who are complaining."

"I don't think Jack complains about anything as long as he got his teddy bear," Lucy says. She starts smiling devilishly. "but if you take his teddy bear away from him he starts screaming." She starts laughing.

"Lucy. You are a nice big sister. You wouldn't do that." Mac says.

"it is just a little bit funny Mac," Lucy explains.

"thank you, Christine, for looking after them. I know this wasn't a funny week for you either." Danny says.

"it was actually a really great distraction. So I didn't walk around in the apartment alone."

Lucy turns to her mom.

"mommy, mommy. Today we went to that park and played on the playground."

"that sounds fun Lucy."

"you guys went to the park without me? Don't tell me you also had pancakes without me?" Mac asks. Everyone is smiling at Mac and Lucy.

"yeah, we did Mac, but…" Lucy says and holds up a finger to stop Mac from complaining about not getting pancakes. "I asked Christine if I should save some for you but she said no." mac look choked."Mac mac Mac." Lucy gets up from her mom where she was sitting on Lindsay's lap. She stands right in front of Mac. "Christine said she would make pancakes for you when you got home. So don't get mad." Everyone starts laughing out loud.

"okay, Lucy. I can't get mad if I get pancakes."

"Christine said you would," Lucy informs him before she walks back to sit on Lindsay's lap.

"so anyone wants som pizza? Shouldn't we go for pizza and beer? Flack asks.

"sorry pal I think I pass," Danny says.

"year we should get home with these two," Lindsay says.

"yeah, and Mac needs to get home to get Pancakes." Flack says like Mac had already said no. "you are just jealous Flack." Mac says. "what about you Jo?"

"sorry Flack Ellie and I have plans together." Flack is a little disappointed that no on wants to join him.

"well seems like its just me and my girlfriend. See ya tomorrow."

"see ya Flack." Everyone says before he leaves.

"Christine we need to have a serious talk," Jo says. Everyone look surprised.

"about what?"

"it is not good that you spoil him so much. He can't handle it."

Christine and Mac look at each other with a loving smile.

"she missed me. That is why Jo."

"yeah, you wish," Christine says. Mac looks surprised.

"oh really ou didn't miss me?" he asks.

"did I miss waking up cold because you steal the blanket? No. did I Miss you standing in my way when I'm cooking? No. did I miss you zapping through the channels when I'm watching something? No."

Everyone is looking at them with a smile. They like that Christine is teasing Mac like that.

"okay, I get it. You definitely didn't miss me. You are sure you even want me to come home?"

"well yeah even though you drive me nuts sometimes I still missed you a lot."

Mac leans over a gives her a quick kiss on the lips.

"I will go get my stuff in my office and then we are out of here."  
He hands Jack over to Danny and then leaves for his office. Jack starts crying when Mac hands him over to Danny.

"hey, Buddy." Danny tries to calm him down. Everyone starts small talking with each other so Quinn sneaks out of the conferences Ooma on into Mac's office.

"hey, Mac can we talk for a moment?"

Mac is putting his gun away in the safe.

"not now Quinn. I just need to get home and get som rest."

"I'm sorry about what happened. It was my fault. If you want I can hand in my resignation tomorrow."

"I don't know right now Quinn. I know you are a great CSI with a lot of expirenace and you are a good value to the team but sometimes you forget that your decisions effects the team much more then you think. One mamber makes one mistake it hits the rest of the team." Mac locks his safe and takes his wallet, his phone and his keys. "now I will go home with my fiancee and eat pancakes. I will see you tomorrow Shelby. God night." He leaves his office to meet up With Christine and then they walk into the elevator together.


	8. Chapter 8 - flashback

The first goodbye

 _This is not a chapter in itself it is more of a little background story about how Quinn and Mac's first work relationship ended. Let me know what you think._

 **Flashback Macs office 2000**

Mac is sitting in his office with a letter of resignation from Quinn that he was just handed by the chief. A week ago Mac hired a new young Detective who comes from narcotics. He is wondering why Quinn has resigned. She hasn't shown any signs of unhappiness with his leadership. It knocks on the door Mac looks up from the letter. It is Quinn. He signals to her to come in and close the door.

"hey, Mac. You wanted to see me?"

"yes come on in Quinn. Take a seat."

Quinn sits down in front of his desk. She looks wondering at him.

"is there a problem?" she asks.

Mac holds up the letter.

"you have resigned?" he says more as a statement than a question.

"yes. I have."

"why?"

"because…" she looks down at her hands before she continues. Trying to find the right words to explain this. "because when you started talking about a few month ago that you wanted to get an assistant supervisor I honestly expected you would promote me. I mean I have worked for you since the day you started as a leader of the lab."

"yes and you is a great CSI Quinn with great investigation skills."

"why didn't you hire me? You hired a newbie from narcotics who has no forensic field experiences."

"correct me if I'm wrong Quinn but neither did you when I hired you. I gave you a chance."

Quinn nods. She knows he is right.

"but Mac this is a leading position and according to what I heard…"  
mac starts laughing.

"Quinn stop." Quinn looks over at him. mac is now having a serious look again. "I don't hire or fire people based on rumors or gossip. If I did… honestly, I probably wouldn't have hired you."

Quinn look choked. "there are bad rumors about me? From who?"

"doesn't matter. All I'm saying is Stella Bonasera is a great detective she has passed all necessary test and taken all forensic classes necessary and she has done great in narcotics."

Quinn nods and chuckles. "I get it, Mac." She starts talking with a contemptuous tone. "The perfect CSI on the paper. Only A's in all her classes. probably young, beautiful intelligent. When I told you that sometimes you need to play politics to win in this game I did realize that you would actually start playing that hard."

Mac just looks at her with a serious and annoyed look. "are you done?"

Quin stops talking and looks at Mac with a serious look.

"since you are clearly unhappy with my way of leading this team I believe it is the right decision for you to quit. And find a lab where you agree with the leader. Because it is not only my hiring of detective Bonasera you have seemed to disagree with lately. My hiring of you detective Messer didn't you agree with either."

"Mac. I'm sorry I just think that you are gambling with this team. We had something great going ith this team and with hiring two… apology, but… hiring two Kids you are gambling with this team."

"I appreciate your opinion of my leading style Quinn. It's not going to change anything."

Quinn stands up.

"I also believe that my latest leading decisions aren't the only reason why you quit?"

Quinn stops and looks at him. she smiles and looks down a little embarrassed.

"okay, Mac. I know you are married and…

"and I Love my wife."

Quinn Nods.

"if…" she looks down at her hands. "if you hadn't been married do you think there could be something between us?"

She looks up at him again with a little hope in her eyes.

"no." he says and she looks down again in disappointment.

"why? You don't like me?"

He just smiles without saying anything. He stands up so does she.

"Quinn I'm a marine. I believe that interpersonal relationships between team members complicate and can in worst case compromise the team's mission."

"once a marine. Always a marine huh?"

She looks into his eyes. She nods.  
"yeah. Never fell for a marine." He says with a little smile.

"did you tell your wife that?" Quinn asks. Mac chuckles.

"actually I did. She didn't take no for an answer."

"some women don't."

Mac nods. "yeah I'm glad she didn't."

Quinn smiles and nods. She realizes she has nothing to lose. Claire is the lucky winner. There are nothing more she can do. She looks up at him. she leans forward and kisses him on the lips. He doesn't respond but he doesn't push her off either.

"goodbye, Mac." She says and leaves the office. Mac doesn't move. He is like glued to she spot. He can never tell Claire this happened.


	9. Chapter 9 - Feeling guilty

Chapter – Feeling guilty

 **(** ** _thank you for your reviews. sorry for the late update I have been busy. but good news. the next chapter coming up with have a visit from an old friend on the show. thank you all for reading. i appreciate it.)_**

 **Friday, December 12.**

Mac is getting ready to go home for the weekend and then there is only one week before Christmas. It is Friday at around 7.30 pm. Mac leaves his office and wishes some techs a good weekend. He walks to the elevator. He waits for the elevator for a few minutes before the elevator arrives and he gets in. right before the elevator door closes, he hears Quinn's voice.

"please hold the door." Mac holds the door for her and she rushes in.

"thanks." She smiles at Mac.

They are standing side by side in the elevator in silences before Quinn finally breaks the silences.

"so having any plans for the weekend?"

"no Christine is working all weekend she is always super busy around the holidays. So I am going to be alone. But just quiet time is sometimes nice."

Quinn forced a little smile on her face.

"trouble in paradise?"

Mac chuckles.

"no, she is just super stressed right now that doesn't leave much time for other things."

"hm… Jo and I are going to out for at Christmas shopping in the weekend. You are welcome to join.

There are silences after that until the elevator stops and they both get off. Mac wishes her a good weekend and walks to his car. On his way home in the car, he is thinking about that tonight they should open a bottle of wine and just spend some time together. They haven't don't that the last two week. Christine has been stressed about a big wedding that she is catering for. She has told him it is a big company owners son that is getting married and it is a super important customer for her newly started catering business as a side business for her restaurant. Mac understands how important this customer are to her and he doesn't want to be selfish but if he should be honest he really miss some romantic time with his fiancee.

Mac comes into the apartment. There is the normal wonderful smell coming from Christine's cooking in the kitchen. He takes off his coat and his shoes and walks to the kitchen. She is very busy cooking. He walks over behind her and wraps his arms around her from behind and gives her a kiss on the cheek.

"hey, babe. I missed you today." He says with a sweet tone in his voice.

"could you move out of my way, please." Is all he get in response. He can hear the stress in her voice and she moves something of the stove. He moves out of her way and grabs a beer from the refrigerator.

"are you okay babe?"

"I just really need to make this. The new customer comes to the restaurant on Sunday at four to try the food for the party. I need to be ready. I am so not ready yet."

"on a Sunday?" Mac asks surprised and a little disappointed about his plans with her is definitely not going to happen now and he is beating himself up inside for being selfish about it.

"yes. They called today. To ask if they could come try the food tomorrow instead of Wednesday. I need to go to the restaurant tomorrow to work on the dessert they changed the menu to be a four dishes dinner instead of the buffet."

"Can they do that? I mean isn't the party on Friday?" Mac asks. shocked about how this customer is treating her.

"yes, it is. That is why I am so stressed about it. They change everything all the time."

"but why don't you tell them that they can't keep changing everything?"

"because if I do I could lose this customer and I can't afford that for my catering business. It could go down before it is even started." she snaps at him while she is moving around. She sounds really frustrated. Mac who has taken a seed at their small dining table stands up.

"hey, baby. Look at me."

She stops and looks down at her hands before she finally looks into his eyes. That is actually the first time since he came home she actually is paying attention to him.

"your catering business is not going down. Your customers love your food. I love your food and if this asshole customer can't appreciate your work, he doesn't deserve to taste your delicious food. Okay?"

A little smile sneaks up on her face." thanks, Mac. Sorry, I am so stressed." She says and looks sad.

He touches her cheek softly with his thumb. "hey it is okay."

"I promise I will make it up til you, okay? I know I been super grumpy and crabby to be around lately." Mac chuckles a little. "sometimes you been slightly difficult to be around." She looks at him with a sweet look.

"come on Mac I been terrible to you lately."

Mac gotta admit she hasn't exactly been fun to be around lately, but he knows why so it is okay.  
"you better get to work and you better make it up to me soon." He says in a warning tone. She looks at him with a smile before she continues cooking and he walks out of her way.

Mac grabs some leftovers in the fridges and walks to the living room to eat why he watch some tv. At around 9.30 pm he hears her phone ringing. He doesn't listen to what the conversation is about and assume is probably her sous chef and something about the wedding. At around 10 pm Mac decides to go to bed. He knows Christine has to get up early tomorrow so they should go to bed. He grabs his empty beer bottle and his plaid and walks to the kitchen. Christine is still cooking and there is no sign of her getting ready for bed.  
"baby it is 10 pm. We should get to bed so you are ready for tomorrow." He says while he is putting his plaid In the dishwasher.

"I can not go to bed. They just changed the appetizer. They want fish instead of chicken. I can't go to bed until I have three new examples of appetizers I can show them."

"you need sleep too, Christine. You can't keep going without sleep." He is concerned for her.

"I need to Mac. What do you do when you have back to back cases. Coffee and granola bars?" she asks.

"yes but I also have an amazing fiancee who tells me to eat healthy food." Mac walks over to her and wraps his arms around her when he is standing right in front of her she is forced to pay attention to him.

"you need som sleep, Christine.  
something on the stove right behind Mac starts boiling over.  
"god dammit, Mac." She yells and pushes him out of the way to save her food.

"it was not supposed to boil. I have to start over."

She poured it out in the sink and gets ready to start over. Mac can see that this is a lost fight. He is not going to convince her to go to bed anytime soon so he surrender goes to bed alone.

 **Saturday, December 13.**

At 6 am Mac wakes up to the sound of Christine moving around in the kitchen. He walks out to the kitchen while he is removing the sleep from his eyes and stretched his body.

"morning babe. Have you got some sleep?"

"yes, I got three hours. There is coffee." She informs him while she is moving around in the kitchen. Mac grabs his cup fast to get out of her way. She is just as stressed if not even more than she was last night. He walks into the living room with his coffee cup and sits down in front of the tv. Normally Mac likes to have the weekend off and spend it with Christine. Sit at the kitchen table and enjoying his Saturday morning coffee and just talking with her with no phones ringing no emails that need to be checked. Just the two of them enjoying each others company, but today… he would actually rather go to work. About 30 minutes later he hears Christine's voice from the front door.

"I'm heading to the restaurant. Leftovers for you in the fridge." And then she is gone. Now he knows how Christine must feel when he is working a big case and barely comes home for more than just a few hours sleep. He just never realized how frustrating it could be to her. Claire used to call him crabby and ignore him to make a point but Christine… he does she do it. She just keeps up with it no matter for how long it goes on. A few month ago he had a big case where a little 5-year-old girl was missing. She was about the same age at his goddaughter, Lucy. He just couldn't rest until she was found. And Christine… she was there. When he came home at three in the morning to get a cup of coffee and a shower and he woke her up with the noise from the shower. He barely talked to her before he left for work again when Flack called with a lead on the suspect. He even left without saying a word to her. He forgot to answer her text and calls because he was so stressed over the case. He realizes that he most really start thinking about how he treats her when he is stressed about a case.

Mac spends the morning relaxing and getting some paperwork done on a case he finished yesterday. Right before lunch, he gets a text from Lindsay and Lucy. They are going to a Christmas event in central park. Lucy wants him and Christine to come. He decides to go since it doesn't seem like Christine is going to come home before dinner.

 **Central park Christmas fair**

Mac gets out of the subway and walks to the Christmas fair that is in the south end of central park. He sees Lindsay who is helping Lucy with her candy apple that lucy is trying to hold why she is insisting on keeping her little gloves on while Lindsay is trying to explain to her that her gloves will be sticky if she gets candy apple on them.

"Mommy, if I don't keep my gloves on I, will have teen popsicles," Lucy explains to her my like her mom doesn't understand the fact that it is cold.

"Lucy if you take your hands inside you sleeve so the stick on the apple is sticking out of your sleeve, then your are not going to get candy apple on your gloves or jacket and your hands will still be warm." Lindsay is getting tired of arguing with her daughter. Baby Jack is sleeping peacefully in his stroller with his winter clothing on and wrapped in a big blanket. Danny is slowly moving the stroller back and forth. Mac walks over to them.

"hey, guys." He greets. Lucy turns to Mac right away.

"Mac. Mommy wants me to freeze my fingers off." Lucy says to Mac. Mac just looks over at Lindsay. Lindsay looks tired. Lucy really knows how to make her mom sounds like a bad mom but Mac knows that Lindsay is a great mom. Mac kneels know in front of Lucy.

"what is the problem, Lucy?" Mac asks.

"mommy says that I should take my gloves off so I freeze my finger off."

"I want you to get your gloves off and take your hands inside you sleeves so you don't get candy apple on your gloves, Lucy." Lindsay sounds tired of arguing with Lucy.

"okay, Lucy how about a solution so you keep your fingers and your gloves don't get sticky?"

Both Lindsay and Lucy look puzzled at Mac. Mac takes out his handkerchief from his inside pocket of his jacket and wraps it around Lucy's glove that is holding the candy apple. He ties a little knot so it won't slip off.

"now. No freezing hands and no dirty gloves." Mac stands up again. Lucy looks up at her mom.

"Mac you are my hero," Lindsay says.

Lucy takes Mac hand with her free hand.

"Mac, can we go to the merry-go-round?" she asks.

"sure Lucy."

They walk to the Merry-go-round and Lucy gets on while Mac is waiting for her with Lindsay and Danny. While they are watching Lucy Lindsay notice that Mac looks tired.

"are you okay Mac?" Lindsay asks.

Both Danny and Lindsay look concerned at Mac. He looks tired. He has looked tired for the past week.

"yeah m fine. I am just concerned for Christine."

"something wrong between you two?" Danny asks.

"no… well… not in our relationship. She is super stressed right now and…"

"hey, guys." They here Quinns voice coming from their left. He turns to face her and see her walking along with Jo, Flack, and Hawkes.

"hey. Where is Ellie?" Lindsay asks Jo.

"she is a teenager. The only way I can convince her to leave the apartment is by promising she can invite her boyfriend." Jo sounds tired. Danny and Lindsays laugh at Jo.

"hey." Jo is raising a threatening finger at Danny and Lindsay. "It is Lucy soon. Don't laugh."

Everyone starts laughing then Hawkes looks over at Mac.

"Mac, you are here alone? Where is Christine?" everyone looks at Mac. Neither Quinn or Jo had actually noticed Christine wasn't there.

"um… she is… she's working on a big party. She had to prepare for it."  
they are all noticing Mac is hesitating when he is explaining why she is not with him on a Saturday afternoon. Before anytime have time to comment on it Lucy is done on the Merry-go-round and comes running down to Mac who has been holding her Candyapple.

"Mac do you want to come with over to Santa?" Lucy asks. Mac smiles at her.

"of cause Lucy. Do you think you have been on the nice list this year?"

Lucy thinks about that for a while before she looks up at Mac with a confident look.

"I'm pretty sure I am. Do you think you are on the nice list?"

Everyone is looking at Mac with a smile on their lips but isn't saying anything but is just amused about Mac and Lucy.

"I'm pretty sure I am, Lucy."n

They spend the afternoon with Lucy visit Santa and Lucy a lot of different activities and talking to elves. She is always around Mac and wants Mac to come with her. She pretty much doesn't pay attention to the other adults. At around 5 pm they are all having hot chocolate but Lucy is getting tired and cold.

"Lucy I think we should get home when you are done with your hot chocolate," Danny says.

lucy protest. She doesn't want to go home yet. She hasn't tried Santa's sled yet. It is a mini train that is driving around for kids to try.

"Lucy it is getting late. It will be dark soon. You are cold and Jack is cold. We are going home when you are done with your chocolate." Danny says with a voice that tells lucy that this is not up for discussion. Lucy looks disappointed.

"are you getting cold too Mac?" Lucy asks. Mac nodded and shuffled a little to convince her.

"I am Lucy."

"okay," Lucy says and finishes her chocolate. Soon after the Messer is saying goodbye to everyone and heads home with two tired kids.

"okay, I think I should try to find Ellie. I think she had enough alone time with her boyfriend for the day." Jo says. Shortly after they hear Ellie's voice.

"hey, mom. Can we go home now?" she comes up next to her mom.

"sure. Where is Jonas?"

"mom. His name is Jordan." Elli says and sounds very upset about her mom still don't remember her boyfriend's name.

"okay sorry, I don't remember which one of the one direction he shares a name with."  
"mom no one in one direction is named Jordan or Jonas."

"okay, whatever. Where is he?" jo looks around to see if she can see him, even though she probably wouldn't recognize him anyway. She has only seen him one time when she pointed a gun at him in her kitchen. "I thought you were with him?"

"I was but he had to go home. He has football practice tonight. He is playing a game tomorrow. Which I am going to by the way." Elli says and starts walking.

"we need to talk about that first you lady." JO follows her very determent daughter. Mac, Quinn, and Hawkes are left behind amused by Ellie and Jo.

"okay just the three of us. Up for dinner?" Quinn asks.

"sorry, Quinn I got plans tonight. See ya Monday." Hawkes says and leaves the two of them alone. Mac and Quinn are standing alone in awkward silence before Quinn says. "do you want dinner or do you want to head home to your girlfriend."

"dinner sounds good." He says and they starting walking. Quinn is a little surprised abut Mac accepting her invitation. He doesn't seem to be busy getting home today like usual when she invites him for something even with the team invited too.

they decide to go an Italian restaurant near Central park. After they have ordered and is waiting for their food they are sitting in silence. Awkward Silences. Quinn is avoided eye contact. She tries to break the awkward silences.

"Mac, can I ask you something?"

Mac looks up and makes eye contact with her. He smiles nervously.

"Sure." He says a little hesitant.

"why did you accept my invitation for dinner?"

Mac is confused. He looks around in the restaurant before he looks back at her.

"because you invited." He says hesitate again.

"I have invited you before bu you have said no every time until today. Always saying you have to get home to you girlfriend or you have plans with you girlfriend. But not today. When Hawkes asked you why you were alone today you hesitated when you answered him."

Mac looks away. He knows she is right. he has been avoiding her invitations ever since she joined the team. He normally wants to go home right away and he can't wait to see Christine's happy smiling face when he steps inside the door and being met by her warm kisses is the best thing, but not today. He knows that Quinna has noticed that something is up with him and probably the rest of the team noticed too. Quinn realizes she has overstepped his boundary.

"I'm sorry Mac. That is your privacy. It is none of my business…"  
"it is okay." Mac cuts her off. She makes eye contact with him again.

"talking about why Christine wasn't there today and going home earlier jut made me feel really guilty."

She looks surprised at him.

"may I ask why?" she knows she has to step very carefully on this topic. This is the first time in all the years they have known each other that he has opened up to her so she doesn't want to ruin it. She sees it as a sign of him starting to trust her that he opens up about his relationship with Christine, to her. When they first worked together he never mentioned his wife to her. She only meets his wife two times and that wasn't exactly a success.

"she has a catering order for a wedding. They have changed the menu a lot and she is super stressed about it. She is barely getting any sleep and she is snapping at me and yelling at me and sometimes just ignoring me when I'm home." Mac looks down for a moment before he finds the courage to continue. "but the worst part is that I am doing the exact same thing to her when I have a big case or back to back case. I get agitated when she is telling I need sleep or I can't keep going with only one granola bar a day. Last night I told her she needed to go to bed and she yelled at me... I felt hurt last night… but when I think of all those times I have pushed her away because of a case. I felt so bad about myself. This morning she left at 6 am and I felt sorry for myself because I had the weekend off. I expected her to be home with me. But all those weekend she has off and she is alone because I have to work."

Mac shakes his head in kinda shame of himself. "I'm sure she doesn't feel it that way, Mac." Quinn is trying to sound very understanding. Mac looks up. That is a side of Quinn that he hasn't seen before. Quinn has always been flirting with him and not really seem interested in really listen to him and not really seem to accept the fact that he has a relationship that he is really happy in.

"I'm sorry Quinn. I shouldn't put all this on you. I'm sorry."

"it is okay Mac."

Shortly after their dinner, they separate and Mac walks to the subway to get home. Doing his walk from the subway station to his apartment he thinks about what he said to Christine last night. ' _that she has to make it up to him that she hasn't been paying attention to him lately'_. What a selfish idiot! Has he been making it up to her all those times he hasn't been paying attention to her and been ignoring her doing a big case? She must think he is the must selfish person she knows. He should be the one being supportive to her, just like she always is to him. she never tells him to make it up to her. Even though he REALLY should have been doing that a lot of times. She is always supportive of him no matter how much a pain in the ass he can be to her. She never asks for anything. Wow, he has really been an idiot to her.

When Mac comes into the apartment Christine is asleep on the couch. It is around 8.30 pm. He walks over to the couch and pulls the blanket over her so she doesn't get cold. He gives her a light kiss on the forehead and touches her lightly on her hair. Then he walks to the kitchen. There is a note on the kitchen table. _"sorry I left so early. Meeting went well. Dinner in the fridge if you are hungry. I love you. I'm sorry._ " He looks at the last word on the note. His guilt is coming back. She is sorry when should be the one that is sorry. Mac walks back into the living room. He is standing and watching her for a little while. She is sleeping peacefully. He doesn't want to wake her up but he knows that she sleeps better in their bed. He walks over and removes the blanket from her and help her up to her feet.

"come on babe you should get into bed and sleep instead." Christine leaned her arms around his neck and leaned into him while he is leading her into bed. He gets her down on her side of the bed and pulls the cover over her before he leaves for the bathroom to get ready for bed. When he comes back into the bedroom Christine is sleeping with her head on his pillow and with her body across the bed. Mac just smiles at his beautiful fiance. He can't believe how he can be so lucky to have her in his life… although she occupies three-quarters of the bed and hugs the cover and his pillow. He gets into bed by pushing her a little bit so he can lay down behind her and wraps his arms around her and gives her a kiss on her hair and whisper _I love_ you. before he turns off the light.

 **Sunday morning 8.30 am.**

The smell of freshly made Coffee spreads out over the apartment and slowly wakes up Christine. She gets up and wraps her Bathrobe around her to stay warm. She comes out into the kitchen where the dining table is made with freshly made steaming coffee in the cups and a lighted up candle and Mac who is making an omelet on the stove. He looks over at her and smiles.

"morning sleeping beauty. Sleep well?" he asks." She looks surprised at him.

"what is going on here?" she asks and walks over and wraps her arms around him from behind and starts kissing him on the shoulder blades.

"if you keep doing that the omelet gets burn because I am getting distracted when you do that." He says with a smile. She giggles into his back.

"really? I am just keeping the promise I made to you on Friday. That I would make it up to you for being an awful girlfriend lately."

"but you shouldn't," he says in a serious tone and then takes the omelet of the heat and cuts into pieces before I place it on the two plates he has already next to the stove that has already freshly made bacon on them. He places the plates on the table.

"breakfast I served." She looks confused at him.

"what do you mean I shouldn't?" she asks when she sits down. He takes out the juice from the fridges before he sits down. He looks at her with a serious look.

"you shouldn't make it up to me. I should be supportive of you. You always support me when I am being an ass to you while working a big case and you never complain. I complain and tell you to make it up to me just because you are busy for two weeks." She looks at him with the sweets look he has ever seen.

"hey…" she places her hand on his. He stops eating and looks straight into her beautiful blue eyes. They are so filled with sincerity and love. "From the moment we started being together I knew that you work case hours doing big cases. I have known you for a long time and know that you are a totally workaholic. If I didn't want to keep up with that I wouldn't have been dating you and differently, wouldn't have said yes to you when you proposed to me…"

He smiles at her a little shy. He knows she is right.

"I love you." He says almost whispering.

"I love you too."

They are just sitting and staring into each other's eyes for a while before they continue eating their breakfast. After breakfast, they help each either cleaning up.

"so have any plans for today?" Mac asks her while they are cleaning the kitchen after breakfast.

"yes. I have plans for lunch." She says while she is standing with her back to him while whipping of the dining table. Mac is disappointed. He is beating himself up for it. He should be supportive. Of cause, she has a lunch meeting with the catering customer.

"okay." He says. She comes over and gives him a push with her hip for him to move away from the sink where he was cleaning the pan.

"I have a very important date with my fiancee." She says while she Is focusing on cleaning the dishcloth she used on the dining table. She looks up at him to see his reaction when he realizes what she just said. He looks at her with a smile.

"you could have said that instead of playing tricks with me." She looks at him with a teasing smile.

"I'm sorry honey but it is kinda fun. You really want to me supportive of me and I know that but still, you are so terrible at hiding your disappointment when you think I am dumping you for business." She starts laughing. He smiles at her and then splashes some water at her.

"you are not nice right now." He splashes som more water at her.

"hey be nice." She splashes some water at him too and they start playing like kids.

After their little water fight in the kitchen, they both get in some dry clothing before they are going to put a move on and just relax together. Christine comes in with two cups of coffee. She is just wearing one of Macs old Marine shirts.

"you are so beautiful." He says with such a sincerity in his voice that she blush. She sits down next to him and places the cups on the coffee table before she snuggles close to him under a blanket and Mac starts the movie. When the movie is over both Mac and Christine are fallen asleep. Christine wakes up when it knocks on the door. without thinking about that she is only wearing Macs t-shirt she answers the door. outside is a red-haired woman standing. It is Macs new team member Quinn Shelby.

"hey. Is Mac home?"

Christine look surprised at the surprising guest.

"hmm… yeah, but he is asleep right now." Christine answered truthfully. The look on Detective Shelby is unmistaken. Christine only wearing a t-shirt and Mac asleep. It is clear to Christine what the detective thinks they have spent the morning doing. It doesn't really bother Christine that the nosy detective thinks that. She can think what she wants to.

"where there anything you wanted? It is getting a little cold." Christine asks when Quinn has been starring at her for a little while. Quinn snaps out of her thoughts.

"No sorry. Mac just forgot his gloves yesterday." Quinn takes Mac's gloves out of her purse.

"oh. Thaks ill give it to him. thanks. Have a nice day." Christine takes the gloves and then closes the door. she puts his gloves in his jacket pocket and then walks back into the living room. She can't help but laugh a little to herself of the look of detective Shelby's face. It was like a realization that hit her. Like she had never expected that a couple that was engaged would have sex. _How can someone be so surprised about finding out that to adult people living together was having sex? What planet is she from?_ Christine thinks to herself when she walks back to the couch and snuggles into Mac again. He is now laying on his back. She is laying down next to him. halfway on top of him. she starts kissing him to wake him up. He wakes up when he is feeling feather-light kisses on his neck and chest.

"that is tingling babe." He says while drawing circles on her back with his fingertips.

"what were you doing yesterday?" she asks.

He looks confused. Like he has to remember where he was.

"oh, I was on a date." He says with no sign of joking.

"with who?" she is asking.

"with a really nice girl named…" He pauses before he says the name to make it more dramatic."I think her name was Lucy. Or maybe it was jo. Or Lindsay. You know what?" he looks down at her. "I go on so many dates. I don't remember which one it was yesterday." He says with a smile.

"you are such a jerk." She says.

"Lucy asked me to come to a Christmas fair in the central park yesterday. The entire team joined."

She places her head on his chest.

"that sounds nice."

"by the way your collgeauge . the redhaired just stoped by."

Mac look confused at her.

"shelby? Here? What did she want?"

"she just stopped by with your gloves you forgot. She look quiet surprised when I said you where asleep."  
"did you open the door in just that shirt?"  
"yeah what else?"

She look up at him with an inocent loo before they both burst out in laughter. the rest of the day they spend relaxing together just enjoying som quialetytime together.


	10. Chapter 10 - visit from an old friend

visit from an old friend

It had been a quiet day at the Lab. Mac had spent most of the day doing paperwork. Danny and Hawkes had been working on an arson case while Lindsay had worked together with Quinn and Adam on a home invasion robbery and Jo had the day off. So it had been quiet. Mac had left the lab early. He had gone to the restaurant and picked up Christine and they had gone to their favorite restaurant for dinner.

Back at the apartment, Mac pulls up in front of their building.

"I'll park the car. see you upstairs." She unbuckles her seatbelt but before she can get out of the car he grabs her hand gently.

"sweety, could you open a bottle of wine when you come up?"

She looks at him with a smile and tries to read his face to find out what he is up to.

"why?"

He gives her an innocent smile.

"can't we drink a glass of wine just because we feel like it?"

She looks at him with a wondering look to see if she can see any hint of what he is planning. But his expression is absolutely clueless. She gets out of the car and enters the elevator. When she exited the elevator on their floor. she sees a woman standing outside their door. She walks over to the door and finds her key. The woman who is tall and has brown curly hair walks over to her.

"hi, excuse me isn't this detective Mac Taylor's apartment?" the woman asks.

"who are you?" Christine asks. She remembers Mac has told her never to reveal any information without having seen any identification. The woman takes a detective badge of her belt and shows it to Christine. It looks legitimate.

"New Orleans police department. Detective Bonasera. I'm looking for Detective Mac Taylor."

"Yes, it is detective Taylor's apartment. I'm his fiancée. What is it about?"

The detective has a big smile on her face.

"Mac is engaged?" the detective asks very surprisedly in a much more friendly and less formal tone. Christine is confused.

"you know him personally?"

"Christine be careful. step away from her." Mac's voice is heard from the elevator behind them. He is talking in a very warning tone that scares Christine. Christine takes a few steps back from the detective. Christine is confused now. Mac walks up to the two woman.

"Mac Taylor. Haven't seen you in awhile." The detective says with a smile and turns around. Mac starts smiling. A smile that shows pure happiness. A smile that Christine rarely embrace each other.

"its good to see you too, Stell," Mac says when they break apart. Christine is just observing the two old friends.

"I see you already meet my girlfriend Christine. Christine this is my friend and former partner, Stella Bonasera."

"nice to meet you." The two woman shake hands.

"let's get inside," Mac says and Christine unlocks the door and they walk inside. Stella notices that Mac places a hand on Christine's lower back. A discreet touch, something that the old Mac Taylor that she worked with never did to anyone after his wife died. not even when he was dating Peyton.

Christine makes coffee while Mac updates Stella on what has been going on in the lab since she left for New Orleans.

"so Danny and Lindsay have got a baby boy, Jack. Lucy loves her little brother. And Flack is started dating a new homicide detective, Lovato. Sid got cancer but he is fighting it so he should be back within a few month."

"so who is the current ME?" Stella asks.

"Peyton," Mac says and looks towards the kitchen. But Christine is nowhere to be seen. Mac hasn't told Christine about his relationship with Peyton and how it ended.

"how is that? I mean working with her again?"

Mac hesitates a little before he answered. "I guess it is okay."

Christine comes in with the coffee and three cups.

"do you use anything in your coffee, Stella?" she asks.

"no thanks. Just black."

Christine fills up the coffee cups and takes a seat next to Mac.

"so that is pretty much what has happened in the lab since you left," Mac concludes his rapport on important events from the lab personnel and work related.  
"I think you are forgetting one big thing, Mac Taylor," Stella says. Mac looks confused at Stella. She mentioned earlier that she pretty much hasn't been in contact with anyone in the lab since she left, so Mac can't think of what it could be that he has forgotten.

"I see a big rock on your girlfriend's finger and the fact that it seems like she is living her with you."  
Mac looks at Christine with a big smile and takes her hand.

"oh yeah, that little detail. Did I forget to mention that?" Mac says with a big smile that is impossible for him to hide. Christine gives him a kiss on the cheek. She can't hide her happiness either. in the old times, Mac would just have ignored the question and turned focus to something work-related. Stella likes this new development. She has a feeling she is going to like Christine very much.

"Yeah, I think you did." Stella turns to Christine. "please tell me it was just a tiny bit romantic. He can actually be romantic when he really wants to."

Christine looks at Mac with a smile. "it was perfect." Mac gives Christine a quick kiss on the cheek. Stella is noticing the very special glow he has on his face when he is looking at Christine. A glow that she hasn't seen on his face since before 9/11. Happy, joking Mac Taylor.

"I haven't seen you this happy in a very long time," Stella says once Christine has left for the kitchen to refill the coffee. The conversation between the couple and the old friend is easy going. Like Stella and Christine had known each other for a long time and like no time had passed since Stella left New York.

"I haven't been this happy in a long time." He says with sincere honesty. He takes a sip of his coffee cup before he looks at Stella with a more serious look. "so what brings you to the big apple? Tired of being the boss?"

Stella laughs. "you wish. Keep dreaming Taylor. I am not coming back to let you bust my butt around again."

There are a nice comfortable mood in the apartment as the two old friend exchange memories and catch up on the time that has past.

"I need your help with a case. A serial killer who is targeting blonde low-risk woman in their early 40. He has the forensic knowledge and is skilled in computers also. He knows how to avoid

surveillance camera. He is finding his victims on online dating sites. One particular dating site actually."

After Stella has given Mac the details about the case they work out a plan for the jointed investigation and agree that Stella should join the team first thing in the morning.

the next day Mac and Stella arrive at the crime lab together after grabbing a cup of coffee for old time sake. As soon as they step out of the elevator they are meet by Sheldon Hawkes. He has some information for Mac but doesn't get to give it to him because of the surprise present of detective Stella Bonasera.

"Stella?" Hawkes says in surprise.

"Doctor Sheldon Hawkes… haven't seen you in a while." She takes him into a big hug. When the friendly reunion is over Mac asks Hawkes for the information and they have a walk and talk back to Mac's office. Mac takes a seat behind his desk and starts working on the information Hawkes gave him while Hawkes and Stella are catching up on old times.

Later Mac gathers the entire team in the conference room. Mac, Stella, and Hawkes are in the conference room when Danny and Lindsay come in.

"whats up, Mac?" Danny asks. Lindsay immediately sees Stella.

"oh my god Stella?" Lindsay says and gives Stella a big hug that embraces all the feels Lindsay had of loss and abandonment but also hope and happiness for Stella.

It was a tough time for Lindsay when Stella left. Both because of the Shane Casey case and Shane Casey hurting Lucy. Since Lindsay first joined the crime lab Stella had not only been a mentor for the young CSI but also like a mother figure for her but someone she could confide in and talk to about everything. Of cause she has Danny but sometimes having a woman to talk to had been all Lindsay needed when she had a rough day. She had felt like Stella had abanded her in the toughest time in her life. She had taken a mans life. She had even gotten a medal for it and a monster had threatened to kill her husband and her daughter and then Stella had just left her behind. Lindsay had known that it was selfish of her to think that way but that was the way she had felt it. Of cause having Mac and Danny and the other guys always helped and then Jo had joined the team.

"Oh I missed you, Stell," Lindsay says. Not able to hide how much she missed her friend and old mentor.

"I missed you too kiddo." A word that Stella often had used to Lindsay to cheer her up.

"my turn. My turn." Daddy says like an impatient little boy. Everyone starts laughing.

"and you still wonder where Jack got that impatiens from," Lindsay says.

"from you babe," Daddy says before he gives Stella a big hug.

"I hear it didn't go so well for sergeant Danny Messer," Stella says.

"Yeah well, I missed my friends and not seeing my beautiful wife all the time," Danny says and places his arm on Lindsay's shoulders and places a kiss on her head.

"so you missed your wife? What about Mac bossing you around?" Stella asks. Danny looks over at Mac with a smile.

"Well, I guess that is a pain in the ass I going to have to live with until I can convince Lindsay to transfer to another team. I suggested Montana." Danny says.

"come on city boy you wouldn't last 5 minutes on the countryside." Everyone starts laughing.

"Good to hear some things never change." Stella says with a smile. "even after all this time you two still argue like the day you first meet."

"why change the good things?" Danny asks.

Stella hadn't realized until now how much she missed those guys. They weren't just her colleagues but they were family. Mac had been there for her when she lost her mentor Professor Papakota and found out about the truth about her mother and all her friends had been there for her when she killed her boyfriend Frankie Mala. They had been there for her.

"okay reunion is over. Let's get to work." Mac says and everyone takes a seat except for Mac and Stella. Stella starts to fill in the team on the investigation of her serial killer when Jo joins them.

"morning Mac," Jo says when she entered. "Quinn will be her shortly she had to change. Dumpster diving." Jo explains when she sits down. Then Jo sees the new face.

"Oh hey. New face. I'm Jo Danville."

"Stella Bonasera." Stella introduces her self.

"it's so nice to finally put a face to the name. I heard a lot of great things about you." Jo says. It warms Stella to hear that her friends didn't just forget her despite the way that she suddenly left the team.

"okay let's get started," Mac says.

Stella continues the briefing and Quinn join them and just sits down without says hello to Stella. Stella is almost done briefing the team when Adam walks to the conference room. Instead of walking to the room and join the briefing he is just standing in the door stirring at Stella. She starts smiling by the sight of Adam

"Hey Adam what's up?" she says using his words and sends him a big loving smile. Adam is still just stirring at her.

"Hey dude," Danny says and snaps Adam out of his head.

"Sorry," Adam says still looking at Stella. "I got this for your boss," Adam says and hands Mac a file before he leaves without saying anything to Stella.

"that… was weird." Lindsay says.

"it's Adam," Danny says like that explains Adams behavior.

"yeah but that was weird even for Adam standard," Hawkes says.

The meeting continues but Stella can't stop wondering why Adam was behaving so strange seeing her again. they did once sleep together but that talked about that and agreed that it should never happen again. so they where just friends again.

Later in the day, Adam is in the computer lab working on a video from a murder from Stella's case, when Danny and Hawkes come in.

"Hey Adam whats up with you man?" Danny asks.

Adam doesn't answer him he just continues typing on his computer with the pen in his mouth pretending like he didn't hear him.

"Hey, Adam!" Hawkes says loud and turns Adams chair so he is forced to face them. "what happened earlier?" Hawkes asks. Adam doesn't answer he just wants to get back to his work so he pretending like he has no idea what they are talking about.

"Adam, you gotta tell us what is going on?" Danny is pushing him.

"just leave me alone," Adam says and gets up and leaves the room and leaves his friend even more confused than they already were.

In the afternoon Mac is sitting in his office filling out paperwork when Stella comes into the office followed by a young man in his mid-twenties with blond hair and a headband to pull back his long hair from his face. He is wearing washed jeans with holes and a loose T-shirt with some geeky print on it and a pair of headphones hanging around his neck and a pair of sunglasses sitting on the neck of his T-shirt. Not exactly the kind of look Mac normally find appropriate for a law enforcement officer.

"Hey, Mac this is Justin he is my CSI level 1 in training he has a Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation Master's Degree to become a digital forensics expert." Stella introduces the young man. Mac stands up.

"Hello, sir. It's a pleasure to me you, sir." The young man says and gives Mac a nice handshake. Mac has already changed his first impression of the sloppy looking young man.

"I'm detective Mac Taylor. It's nice to meet you."

"It's a great honor to get to work for you sir."

Stella recognizes the impressed look on Mac's face. Justin starts to inform the detectives about the little progress he has done on the case. Mac gets even more impressed with the young man. Despite his looks, he seems to be a great investigator.

"Do we have any physical description of this guy yet?" Mac asks Justin.

"I got a very precise description of the back of his head and his right ear… but… other than that. No." Justin says and sounds a bit frustrated over spending the last 3 month chasing this guy and looking at hours of survivance and not being able to find anything leading closer to stopping this guy."

"we will get him, Justin," Stella says and places a comforting hand on his shoulder. In the same moment, Adams comes to stand in the door. He sees Stella's hand on the young Techs shoulder. Without a word, Adam just walks away.

"he is an ard dude. He hasn't said a word all day." Justin says before he leaves the office. Adam being quite all day is very unusual for Adam who normally talks to his computer.

"What is with him today?" Mac asks more to himself than to Stella. Stella has a bad feeling that Adams unusual behavior has something to do with her being in the lab.

Mac, Stella and the rest of the team except Adam, are talking about the case When Justin comes running in.

"morning Stell."

"what did I tell you?"

"Sorry. Good morning Detective Bonasera." Justin says in a more respected tone of voice.

"you got something?" Mac asks.

"yes. Last night I meet this smoky hot waitress."

"Justin… he meant about the case." Stella interrupts the young man.

"Yes…" Justin realizes how he started his explanation. "okay. She was smoky hot but she told me something interesting."

"that she was single?" Danny asks with a teasing smile and the older detectives enjoy the teasing of the very young and unexpired investigator.

"Unfortunately… no."Justin seems disappointed and then gets back to the case "but…" Justin informs the team about his new discoveries and they start to form a strategy on how to catch this guy. They work out an undercover operation with Stella being the bait and the rest of the team as a backup in different positions.

Later in the afternoon, the "date" with the serial killer is planned to take place on Friday night at a restaurant at 6 pm.

Friday night Stella stresses up for her "date" and Adam comes in to help wire her up so they can have eyes and ears on her at all time.

Adam is just stirring at her at first.

"wow." Is his only comment. Stella suddenly feels very self-aware.

"Hey, Adam." She says looking at him in the mirror with a smile.

"I'm here to wire you up." He informs her and gets himself together so he can do his job. He opens his case with the wire equipment and starts to get an earpiece ready for her.

"why are you doing this?" he asks while he is giving her the earpiece and then starts to place a camera on a neckless.

"because it is my job." She simply responds.

"no, it's not. We have undercover cops who are trained for this. You are not."

"Adam I been on a date before. This is just going to be like a date."

"year with a crazy psychopath criminal."

"I have been on a date with one of those before too you know."

Adam realizes what he said.

"sorry, Stell I didn't mean to bring that up."

Adam places the neckless around her neck.

"it's okay Adam. I'm fine with it. It's a long time ago." Stella gives him a reinsuring smile in the mirror.

Stella turns around to face him. He can't keep himself from stirring at her. She is wearing a long slim black dress with a deep V-cup on the front and it goes down deep on the back also.

"you look great Stell," Adam says.

Then Danny, Hawkes, Don, and Mac comes in. Danny whistles impressed

"wow."

"wow, Stella looking good," Don says.

"Hey guys," Stella says doesn't feel quite comfortable with the attention from her male friends.

"you ready Stella?" Mac says walking in. doesn't seem to notice her appears.

"come on Mac I know you are engaged and not suppose to notice other women but you can't honestly say you don't notice how stunned she looks?" Danny says.

"You have married Messer." Sheldon comments.

"exactly," Danny says like that explains everything.

Mac just smiles at his goofy male coworkers.

"okay let's get going. Stella Hawkes will be a waiter. Danny and Flack will be outside and so will Lindsay and I and Adam and Justin will be in your ear all the time.

"being on a date with Adam in your ear. Wow, that must be like a date in hell."

Danny, Hawkes, and Flack start laughing.

"very funny," Adam says and leaves.

"come on dude. You know we are just messing with you." Hawkes says but Adam walks by them and continues towards the AV-lab.

"okay let the show begin," Mac says and they all leave the lab to get the undercover started.

The date goes according to the plan and the suspect that uses the name Tommy doesn't suspect anything. There is a comfortable conversation between him and Stella and Hawkes is the waiter for them. At the end of the dinner, Tommy pays and they leave the restaurant together and walks out into the busy street. He places his arm on her hip and they walk comfortably. The plan is that Stella has a safeword to say as a hint to her backup-teams to intervene if something goes wrong or he starts to suspect anything. Now they are just waiting for Stella to give them a hint to arrest him but the street is too busy and Hawkes saw earlier that he has a knife and a gun so it is too risky to arrest him on a busy street. Suddenly Danny, Flack, Lindsay, and Mac can't here Stella anymore. Neither can she here Adam. She starts to suspect something is up. He tightens his arm around her and she starts to feel something sharp poking her in the side of her stomach.

"it has been a nice evening detective." He suddenly whispered in her ear. His voice has changed.

"how did you know?" she whispered back as they continue walking.

"you really think I am that stupid?" he asks as they walk by a dark alley. He pushes her into the alley and staps her and runs away.

The next thing she remembers is her waking up at the hospital. Someone is sitting in a chair next to her hospital bed. The person is asleep. As soon as she regains full coarseness she realizes it is Adam.

"hey." She says. He wakes up. When he realizes she is awake he jumps out of the chair in the usual clumsy Adam-way and it makes Stella laugh.

"hey. How are you feeling?" Adam asks.

"I'm fine. Why are you here?"

"Mac kicked me out of the lab last night after I yelled at him," Adam answers a little-embarrassed thinking back to the night before when Mac came back to the lab after they gave up finding the suspect on foot. Adam had almost verbally attacked Mac the moment he came back to his office. He had yelled at Mac and had been so emotionally and upset that Mac had sent him home but instead of going home he had gone to the hospital to Stella.

"why would you yell at Mac over a case going wrong?" Stella asks.

"because it is not just a regular case going wrong. You got hurt."

Adam says looking down at his feet. Stella takes his hand in hers when she realizes what he is saying.

"Adam."

"Adam sorry Stella I should not have said that." He says.

"Adam. When I left I missed you. I missed you a lot."  
"why didn't you answer my calls, text or emails?" Adama asks for them to realize that it sounds more like a jealous ex-boyfriend.

"because I didn't know what to say. I missed you and we had agreed that we didn't have any feelings for each other so…"

"I do…" Adam says interrupting her.

"hmmm…" she asks.

"I did have feelings for you and honestly I thought they were gone after you left but seeing you again made me realize they are not."

"Adam we shall not start a relationship. You have a great girlfriend you should be with and I have my life in New Orleans."

Adam nods.

"Yeah, I know."

Stella takes into a hug. Just talking things through with Stella made him feel much better but he still had to face Mac later and that fact that he had yelled at him last night. Last time he disobeyed Mac he got three days of suspension. This time 3 days of suspension probably won't cut it. He will probably have to look for a new job soon.

By Monday morning the serial killer, whose real name turns out to be Luke Thomson, a 35-year-old divorced man from New York City, was arrested when a hotel receptionist recognized his photo when he checked in. Stella would have to stay in the hospital for a few days to recover even though the knife luckily had hit any vital organs. The paperwork was done and the case was closed. Only Adams situation was not yet resolved. Adam was nervous when he stepped out of the elevator Monday morning to go to his meeting with Mac.

"morning Adam" Quin's voice came from behind him. She came up from the stairs.

"morning." He greeted sounding very nervous. "have you seen Mac yet?" he asks looking around for Mac.

"no. I think I went to visit detective Bonasera at the hospital this morning." Quinn informs in before she leaves him. Adam walks slowly towards Mac's office. Hoping not to meet anyone else. He finally gets to Mac's door and walks in to see Mac hasn't arrived yet. He takes a seat on the couch. Hopefully, Stella didn't tell Mac what he confessed to her Friday night. If Mac found out that he had overreacted because of personal feelings he would be doomed.

"Adam?" Mac comes into his office.

"morning Mac. Im sorry about my outburst Friday night." Adam stands out. He is nervous so he starts to labelling as he usually does.

"Adam slow down," Mac says he is in a good mood today, Adam notices.

"you are not in trouble." Adam is confused.

"but… I yelled at you."

"yes. But your friend was injured and you were stuck back here and not able to do anything. The suspect jammed Stellas gear. There where nothing anyone could do. You overreacted because you feel responsible. Right?" Mac says.

Adam exhales. Not realize he had actually been holding his breath. Adam nods.

"yes. Yes, I did."

"take the rest of the day off. Relax, calm down and come in tomorrow morning. Okay?" Adam nods.

"oh… okay. Thanks, boss."

Adam leaves the office. More confused then he normally is. Mac is in his office. He sits down in his chair. Shortly after he received a text from Stella.

"did you give him a hard time?" the text reads. Mac responds back with a no and smiles. Goofy Adam being in love with a Stella. He should have seen that years ago.


	11. Chapter 11 just one of those days

just one of those days...

Warning: decryption of murder!

It had just been one of those days… where nothing goes as planned. Lindsay had been late for work when she had to drive Jack to preschool and Lucy to school alone since Danny was at a forensic convention in Las Vegas. She had been stuck in traffic for almost 45 minutes and Mac had called her. It had been an unusually busy night for a Thursday night in New York City. When she finally got to the lab Adam had been grumpy after an argument with his girlfriend and Hawkes was assisting Peyton in Autopsy because of the large body load so the team was down 2 men. A really bad morning to be late. The day hadn't gone any better. Mac was working on a case with Adam and the rest of the team, Jo, Lindsay, and Quinn worked solo on different cases. By 2 pm Lindsay had to leave to go pick up her kids. But she still had an open case so she brought the kids back to the lab and placed them in the conference room with Lucy's iPad so they would disturb anyone. Lindsay informs Lucy that if they need anything she should find Mac or someone else in the lab. Everyone in the lab knew to keep an eye on the two kids whenever they walked by the conference room. In that room, they were the most overwatched kids in New York City.

Lucy and Jack had been sitting in the conference room for about a half an hour when Jack stood up and walked towards the door.

"you can't leave Jack. Mommy said we should stay here."

"potty" the little 2-year old boy explains to his sister.

"Okay," Lucy says a little annoyed with her younger brother. She stands up and walks towards the door.

"stay here." She orders him before she leaves the conference room to go find her mom. Lucy has been in the lab many times both with Mac and her parents. She knows where to unusually find her parents or Mac. Lucy walks around alone. Normally civilians aren't allowed to do that but everyone in the lab has known Lucy pretty much since she was born. So they don't pay much attention when she walks around. She is probably just looking for her parents or Mac.

Lucy looks into the trace lab where Lindsay normally are working. But she is not there right now. So Lucy continues her search. After around 5 minutes of search, she reaches the lab where physical experiments are often performed. She sees Mac standing in the room with his back to her. A woman is standing in front of him. Lucy can't where what they are talking about. She stands about 20 feet away from the glass wall to the experiment room when she sees the woman attacking Mac. They start fighting and after a little while the woman has a knife and she stabs Mac in the chest and he falls to the ground. He is laying still. The woman is kneeling down next to him. She picks up the knife.

Lucy is terrified. A young female lab tech that Lucy has met before walks by Lucy.

"hello, Lucy." The lab tech greets and walks by. _why isn't she doing anything? Didn't she see what happened to Mac?_ Tears starting to fall down Lucy's face. The woman who attacked Mac stands up and looks straight at Lucy. Lucy remembers when a man hurt her mom. Their mom told her that if she saw something scary and there where nobody she could talk to then she should run and find a safe place to hide until the police found her. All Lucy can think is to run and find a safe place to hide so the woman who hurt Mac can't find her. Lucy forgets about her brother and why she was looking for her mom. She needs to get away from the bad woman who hurt Mac. So Jack must take care of himself.

Same time inside the experiment room.

Mac is helping detective Shelby performing a reconstruction of a fight between a couple that turned deadly. The evidence doesn't match the suspect's story so she needs Macs help to reconstruct the crime. Quinn is wearing a white jumpsuit so she can compare the blood spatter on the suit to the blood spatter on the suspect's clothing. Mac is wearing a white t-shirt and a grey cardigan. Mac is standing with his back to the door that leads towards the rest of the lab.

"okay. So we are talking get into an argument." Mac refuses the beginning of the suspect's story.

"yes. I accuse you of cheating. You deny it. I get angry. I try to walk away. You grab my wrist." Mac and Quinn are reenacting the crime while Quinn reads the suspect's statement.

"We struggle. You try to stop me. I pull a knife out of my pocket and I stab you in the chest." Quinn has a plastic knife where the blade can disappear into the handle. She places it on Mac's chest. Mac put his hands on the knife and pretends to fall to the ground in pain. He is laying still while Quinn continues.

"so the suspects claims that she tried to perform CPR on the victim and she says she had lost her phone so she searched the victim's pockets for his phone. Claiming that's how his blood got inside his pockets. She checked his pulse after she dialed 911 but realized he had stopped breathing. So she left the scene. Claiming she couldn't bear to see her beloved boyfriends dead body." Quinn stands up and walks across the room.

"Yeah, nothing says love like stabbing someone to death," Mac says stands up. He has what looks like blood on his t-shirt from the bag with theater blood that was stashed under his t-shirt.

About 30 minutes later Hawkes walks out of the elevator with Flack and walks towards Macs office when Hawkes catch a glimpse of Jack crying the conference room and screaming for his mom. Somehow he has managed to take off his pants, socks, and shoes. He still has his bodystocking and diaper on. Hawkes and Flack run over to him. Hawkes takes the little boy into his arms."hey little man what's with you?" Hawkes asks.

"mommy." The little boy cries. His face is red and wet from crying and yelling for his mom.

"where is your sister, Jack?" Don asks suspiciously. Normally Lucy is always with Jack. He knows that neither Danny or Lindsay would never ever leave their son alone. Flack looks around in the hallway behind the conference room. Sometimes Lucy likes to sit out there and enjoy the view of the city.

"Flack. His diaper is wetted all the way through."

"that is your department. Not min." Flack says.

"something is not right. Lindsay would never leave Jack alone." Hawkes says concerned.

"and where is little miss Lucy."

"luce find mommy. Jackki stay." Jack explains. Still crying a bit.

"Lucy when to find their mom but Lindsay is in the garage."

"but Mac is here in the lab. She would have gone to him." Hawkes says. "let's go find Mac." Hawkes says to the little boy who has stopped crying by the comfort of Hawkes. They walk into the experiment lab and finds Mac and Quinn but no Lucy.

"Hey, guys," Mac says and then sees Jack.

"we got a godfather job here, Mac," Hawkes says and hands Jack over to Mac.

"Hey, Jack. Where are your socks, shoes, and pants?" Mac asks.

"it is in the conference room. But where is Lucy?" Flack says. Mac look concerned by that question.

"she should be in the conference room with Jack.

"no. she is not. We found him, crying and screaming alone in the conference room. No lucy. He said that Lucy went to find his mom." Flack says.

"she would have found me instead," Mac says wondering why Lucy didn't come to him.

"I saw the girl earlier." Quinn suddenly says looking up from her case file notes.

"where?" Flack asks impatiently when Quinn doesn't elaborate right away.

"she was standing right out there." Quinn points towards the spot where she saw Lucy standing.

"what was she doing?" Mac asks.

"I don't know. She was looking at what we were doing I guess."  
"Dammit," Mac says.

"no no Maggi," Jack says. He has already learned that 'dammit' is a bad word.

"what Mac?" Hawkes asks.

"she watched us reconstruction a homicide."

"let me guess. You were the victim?" Flack asks Mac. Mac nods. They all know what this means.

"and you did not think about that an 8-year-old girl was standing and watching a reconstruction of a murder?" Flack asks Quinn.

"that kid shouldn't even be in the lab in the first place so no, detective. I didn't think about letting a murder get away because of a kid." Quinn says.

Both Flack and Hawkes are about to get back on Quinn for that.

"stop." Mac says. "all of you. Number 1 priority now is to find Lucy. Gather all lechs and tell them to search the entire lab for her. She is told if she gets scared to find a place to hide until the police find her."

"she thinks she saw a murder. So the police would show up." Flack says.

"yes. Gather everyone and let's find her." Mac says. While Hawkes and Flack gather all the lab techs Mac walks to the conference room and get Jack changed. When Mac is done all the employees of the lab is gathered in front of Mac's office.

"listen up. Lucy Messer thinks she saw a murder in the experiment lab earlier. she got scared and she went into hiding. The is told by her parents: if she gets scared she should go and hide until the police find her. She is in the lab. We need to find her. She is a scared little girl. Find her."

Everyone starts looking for her. For hours Lindsay is terrified sitting in Mac's office with her boy while everyone else is looking for Lucy. Efter 2 hours of search Quinn walks to the locker room. She notices a noise coming from a locker. She opens the locker and Lucy are sitting all curled up in the locker.

"Hey," Quinn says. "I found her," Quinn yells loud to inform the rest of the team. Lucy realizes it is the woman who hurt andLucy starts screaming as loud as she possibly can. Hawkes, Flack, and Jo come running down in the locker.

"it is okay Lucy," Jo says and helps the little girl out of the locker and takes her into her arms.

"she a murder." Lucy says once she feels safe again. "she hurt Mac. She is Evil."

"Lucy, listen to me. Her name is Quinn Shelby. She works for Mac…"

"no, she murdered Mac." Lucy interrupts jo.

"Lucy Listen to me." Jo is speaking with a calm voice to try to calm Lucy down. "Lucy what you saw was a reconstruction of a murder. Mac is not dead. It was just an acting." Lucy is crying.

"Mac is okay?" Lucy asks. Jo removes a few tears from Lucy's face.

"yes sweety. Mac is fine. He is in his office with your mom and brother."

"oh no. Jackie. I need to find mommy." Lucy says and tries to get out of Jo's arms.

"Lucy. Mac already helped your brother." Hawkes says. Lucy stops moving and looks up at Hawkes.

"He did"? Hawkes nods. "year. Brother is playing with Mac in Mac's office."

"Mommy is going to be mad at me," Lucy says ashamed while she walks out of the locker room holding Jo and Hawkes hands.

"why do you think that Lucy?" JO asks.

"because I was supposed to go find Mac so he could help Jack go potty but I got scared so I didn't get help to Jack."

"listen honey you mom won't get mad at you for that. She will understand why you got scared." Jo says. A tiny little smile creeps up on Lucy's face and then they walk to Macs office where Lindsay is in tears of happiness for seeing her daughter again.

"Oh, Lucy. Sweety. I was so worried."

"I'm okay, mommy." Lucy says hugging her mom. " is Jack okay?"

Lindsay and Lucy look down at Jack sitting on the floor playing with his favorite toy police car.

"he is fine Lucy," Lindsay says


End file.
